I'll Never Lie To You
by m.brown
Summary: John never thought he'd fall in love. He never thought he'd have to see loved ones die. He never thought he'd make it alive this far. But, that's just a day in the life of a typical teenage alien running for his life. Continuation of the story! It starts off from the carnival and I take it my own way from there. Rated T for language and teenage behavior.
1. The Beginning

**So I just recently watched the movie and then read the book in a day (it was sooooooo good!) then watched the movie again. Haha what can I say? Counting down the days until August 23 ****when the new book comes out :D **

**Anyhow this is going to take place right before the Halloween carnival thing. I'm gonna add some new things and maybe take some old things out, but I hope you like it!**

**Disclaimer: All characters belong to Pittacus Lore and whatever else needs to be said here(:**

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><p>Henri and I walk under the banner that read: <span>Paradise Annual Halloween Carnival<span> and step off of the sidewalk onto the matted, dead grass where kids are laughing, running, and playing. For some reason I smile at the old Ferris wheel and the ticket booth with chipped paint falling off. I laugh at the kids running around with their candy and masks. And my stomach drops when I see that gorgeous girl with her camera taking pictures of the kids swinging. Strands of her hair caress her cheeks as she leans down to get a better angle. Then she turns and those blue eyes search the crowd for who I hope to be me.

"I'll catch you later, Henri," I say.

"Remember, if anything, and I mean _anything_ looks unusual, call me," he says sternly and points to his phone. I roll my eyes.

"I will, but I highly doubt that any Mogadorians are going to show up to a carnival."

"That's not what I meant, John," Henri says and motions over to Mark and his crew. They seem to be getting dressed up in zombie clothes and make up. I assume that they're going to be monsters on the haunted hay ride. Mark seems to only be concentrated on Sarah though which makes my hands tingle. I look down for a fraction of a second so Henri doesn't see. Not glowing.

"Okay, okay. I'll call you if I need anything."

"Alright, be careful."

"I will."

"Have fun," Henri says and walks off towards the parking lot. Bernie Kosar follows him thankfully. I turn around and stroll casually over to Sarah who was facing away from me. She had turned to the Ferris wheel and began taking pictures. I open my mouth to surprise her, but she starts talking first.

"The light from the sunset really makes this a great picture. Come here and see for yourself." She holds out the camera to me and I take it in my hands. I look through the lens and see what she was talking about. The light from the sunset makes the Ferris wheel dark like a silhouette except for the small lights on the sides of the ride.

"Whoa," I breathe.

"It's beautiful isn't it?" Sarah says and looks into my eyes.

"Yes, but I can think of something or _someone_ else who's even _more _beautiful." Sarah smiles shyly and turns away because of the small amount of pink that fills her cheeks. It's true, though. She is the most beautiful girl I've ever seen and I'm drawn to her like a magnet.

I smile and look around. I see Sam playing an arcade game where you have to shoot the spaceship down to win the prize. The football team is getting their makeup for the haunted hay ride done by the cheerleaders, but Mark and his gang are nowhere to be seen. Henri's words echo in my head, but I try not to think about it too much.

"John? Are you there?" Sarah says. I snap back into reality. "I've been calling your name for a minute. You ok?" She looks concerned so I smile reassuringly and nod my head. She smiles back.

"So, what do you want to do?" I ask her.

She looks thoughtful, and then says, "The haunted hay ride. I go every year. It kind of a tradition, I guess. Will you come with me, please?" She surprisingly reaches for my hand and intertwines her fingers in mine. I must have looked like an idiot because all I could do was grin and nod my head.

"You have really warm hands," she says and I chuckle quietly.

When we get to the entrance there seems to only be two other people waiting in a line. The driver pulls up and says, "Looks like you're the last of the night. Jump on in, if you dare." Then he laughs menacingly. Sarah and I look at each and she chuckles.

"I thought this was supposed to be scary," I say and taunt her.

"Don't worry it gets better. Here, let's sit in the back," she says. My heart starts beating faster because the other two sat in the very front. We wait for it to start, but something catches my eye. The driver grabs a walkie-talkie and whispers into it. I try to concentrate and focus my hearing, but with Sarah next to me, now sitting very close, I can't concentrate. I start to worry that the driver wasn't just telling the monsters to get ready.

"John, are you scared already? You look worried," Sarah says half-teasing/half-serious.

"I'm fine, I promise."

"Okay." Sarah says and smiles. "Just to warn you, I think the two people in the front get attacked. They did this last year and every time two people would be taken off," she whispers. Her breath hits my ear and it sends shivers all over my body. I nod and the driver takes off.

We bump along the road into a dark forest. Once the driver kills the lights, it begins. Strobe lights flashing while people with masks jump onto the trailer trying to scare us. Sarah lets out a small squeal here and there and occasionally screams, but always laughs afterwards. Her hand had found it's way into mine halfway through the ride.

"I'm actually a little scared," she whispers. I wrap my arm around her and pull her close. We finally round a corner and the two sitting up front get pulled off. Sarah buries her head into my chest. She then pulls back.

"Oh, John, I'm sorry. I was just startled and…" she stammers. Even in the darkness I can tell she blushing.

"It's okay, Sarah. I would never let anything-" I'm cut off by her scream. It's real this time. Somebody had grabbed her and jumped off of the trailer.

"Sarah!" I yell. Anger pulses through my veins and I can feel my hands beginning to tingle, but before I can react I'm tackled off of the trailer. I kick the guy off of me and send him flying into a stack of hay on the still-moving trailer. I stand up, but my knees are collapsed and I fall right back down.

There are kicks at my sides, legs, and even my head. But I grab a leg right before it connects with my side again and twist it. I hear a scream of pain, but ignore it. Somebody punches me in the stomach, and then kicks my thigh. Two left. I let my hands glow and I hear voices.

"Dude what the hell is that!" I shine my lights towards the one who said it. He has on night-vision goggles and I rip them off. I throw them far off into the forest. I recognize the guy as Max, one of Mark's friends, and throw him into a tree. The other guy swings at my face, but I lean back then grab the back of his shirt and throw him into a bush. I find Max and grab the front of his shirt.

"Where is she?" I yell at him.

"Shepherd Falls! Shepherd Falls!" he quickly answers. I can tell he's terrified because of the lights so I knock him out. Hopefully he won't remember anything.

I stand and try to calm myself. I have no idea where Shepherd Falls is, but I do have excellent vision and hearing. I concentrate on the sound of anything that has to do with water. Finally, I hear the sound of a stream and take off running. I can only see about five feet in front of me with my hands lit so I can only jog. I slow down when the sound gets louder and crouch down.

Through a bush, I see a fire and a dirt area. Sarah is sitting on a rock, but she doesn't look like anything has happened to her. It's a damn good thing, too or they'd all be worse than they are right now. Mark is talking to her, but she refuses to answer him. There are eight other guys with him and a river behind them.

"I just don't understand, Sarah. What happened to us? We were the perfect couple! And we could've owned the school!" Mark says to her. Sarah turns to him with tears in her eyes, but they're angry.

"This is why you had your dumbass friends kidnap me and drag me out here? So we could talk? Any regular person would've just asked! And that's exactly why I broke up with you! I didn't want to be your little princess and terrorize other kids! I wasn't going to turn into a monster like you," Sarah spits at him. She gets up with her arms crossed and turns towards me, but she has no idea that I'm here.

"So you're going to hang out with that loser, John? He's a freak! He had some freak attack in class and ran away like a little girl! You want _that?_" Mark yells. I almost run out right then, but I control myself.

"Actually, Mark, I _am _going to hang out with John. I like him. A lot. He's smart, funny, kind, handsome, and a hell of a lot better man then you are or will ever be!"

"C'mon Sarah. Don't be this way. I know you want me and you're just playing hard to get," Mark says. He walks over to her and pins her up against a tree. She tries to push him off, but he's too strong. He leans in, but I'm quicker than him.

I run out and tackle him before he can make contact with her. We skid across the dirt, but I'm immediately pulled off of him by two of his friends. I watch as Mark grabs Sarah and makes her look at me. I shove the two guys off of me and back up.

"Fine, then. You're just going to watch as my boys beat the shit out of your beloved, little boyfriend," Mark says and grins. "Take him out, guys."

At once they all surround me and the guy in front of me swings. I dodge it and instead he hits a tree. Cursing, he comes back at me, but I move and he falls straight into the river.

"Who's next?" I snarl.

Two big, black guys corner me at a tree. Just as they're about to lunge in, I jump up and grab the branch above me. I kick out and hit both of them square in the jaw. One is crouching so I kick him into the river. The other is on his back moaning. I grab the front of his jacket and toss him in as well.

Two more come at me. I swiftly kick one's legs out and he rolls into the water. The other one swings and connects with part of my jaw, but I catch him full in the nose. He bends down holding it and I kick him into the water. I notice now that only one guy remains. The other two must have run away.

The last guy looks scared out of his mind, but I go over and grab him by the ankle. He screams as I drag him across the dirt and toss him into the water. Mark's mouth is open and he's speechless, but Sarah is still held in his grip.

"So that just leaves you, Mark. Let her go and I'll let you go. If not, then it looks like you're going swimming with your buddies."

"Fine, Johnny Boy. Here's your girl," he throws her and she stumbles towards me. I catch her and send Mark a death glare. "It's okay, I've got you," I whisper. We turn around and start to walk away, but I hear footsteps running this way. I turn too late.

My left side was bleeding and Mark was standing above me with a pocket knife in his hand.

"John!" Sarah screams. Anger boils inside me and I find the strength to lunge at him. My hands are on fire and he stands in shock as I fly through the air. I throw my fists into his stomach, sides, and face so fast that he falls down, winded. I pick him up by the collar of his jacket, walk to the river, and slam him into the water. Then, I fall the ground and feel my wound. The left side of my body was bleeding and I can feel the cut is pretty deep.

"John, we have to get you to the hospital. Now," Sarah says. She is speaking between sobs, but I shake my head and say the word, "Henri." She understands thankfully.

"Okay, well I'm going to get you up and you're going to follow me, okay? We're going to find Sam and get his truck," she says. Then Sarah takes off my jacket. She then carefully removes my shirt. I hear her gasp a little when she takes it off meaning that it isn't good.

"This might hurt, John." She grabs my hand and squeezes it, but then takes my shirt and wraps it tightly around my side. I let out a groan and squeeze my eyes shut. The pain isn't unbearable, but I feel so weak from fighting. She puts my jacket back on to cover up the wound, that way no one will look twice. She helps me up and whispers, "Try to walk normal as possible. We don't want to draw attention."

It seems like ages until we finally get out of the woods, find Sam, get his car, and start driving. About five minutes after we get into the car we get out. I look around, but I'm too disoriented to know where we are. She brings me into a shed and tells me to wait there. I sit down and my head finally stops spinning. All I hear are crickets and the wind against the window. Then the door opens, shuts, and locks.

"Drink this. It's water," says Sarah. I see that she brought a pitcher of water, some crackers, and a small bag. I drink two glasses of water then eat some crackers. After that she tells me to take off my jacket. I do and she removes my shirt. I wince at the pain, but don't speak. I finally see my wound. It looks about 2 inches deep, but hasn't hit any organs or bones.

"I'm going to clean out the wound first and then I'll sew you up."

"Okay." That was the first clear word I had said to her since the fight. Since I told her I'd never let anything happen to her.

Sarah cleans my wound silently then begins to stitch it. I don't feel anything because it's still throbbing with pain. She then begins to apply some medicine to my back, chest, and stomach. After she's done with that she takes off my pants, leaving me in my boxers, and puts some sort of ointment on my bruises. I pull my pants back on carefully and she starts on my head. I have to leave my shirt off because of the stitches and because its torn from Mark's knife.

"Thank you," I say. She looks at me and shakes her head.

"No, thank _you_. Without you I don't even want to know what could've happened. You saved my life, John. This is the least I can do." She stares right into my eyes and then wipes away blood from my forehead.

"Sarah," I whisper. She looks right at me with those beautiful blue eyes. I get lost in them. Then I look up and see a dark spot right at her hairline that I hadn't noticed before. I brush my thumb across it and she winces. "What happened?" I ask.

"It's nothing. One of Mark's loser friends was carrying me and once we were at Shepherd Falls he dropped me and I hit a rock. I'm fine," she says. I take a wet cloth and gently clean it for her. After the dry blood is cleaned up it doesn't look so bad. As I take my hand away she grabs it with her own and says, "Come with me. I want to show you something."

We walk up to her front door and go inside. "Parents?" I ask.

"Out to dinner. My older brothers are at college," she says and leads me upstairs. She opens up the door then quietly shuts it. I take in the beauty of her room. There's a desk to the right of the room covered with different camera's and stands, to the left a wall with a photos covering it, a couch with a coffee table (also covered in photos) in the back left and her bed in the back right corner. Her walls were painted an orange-yellow, but not much of it was showing due to the pictures hung up.

"Wow," I breathe. "Your room is amazing. You took all of these?" Sarah nods and gives me a sheepish smile. I can feel the butterflies in my stomach.

Sarah leads me over to her bed and we sit on the edge so we're facing the wall in the very back of the room. It's covered in photos, but these are very special. They're the most beautiful pictures I've ever seen. Mostly because they're all of her, but the artistic perspective in them is amazing.

"These are beautiful, Sarah. But why do you keep them down here where no one can see them?" I say.

"Because they're of me," she whispers. She looks into my eyes and I sense her searching my eyes for something. She looks down, but I gently lift her chin up and look straight at her. I brush a strand of hair out of her face.

"I don't understand why you can show us something normal and make it beautiful, but not show us something that already is so beautiful," I whisper. "And believe me when I say this because I would never, ever lie to you, Sarah Hart." Then I lean in and kiss her. Her lips are so soft and delicate that I don't want to do anything except that. Just kiss her softly. She runs her fingers softly up my neck and into my hair while mine go down her sides to her waist.

I lean my forehead against hers and look into her eyes. She breathing softly and we just hold each other's gaze for what seemed like minutes.

"From the first day I met you, I knew… I knew that you weren't some dick like Mark. You're not like most boys, John Smith. And that's what I find so interesting about you," she says. I smile and kiss her softly and slowly. But these moments never last forever. We hear the door shut and Sarah groans. "That would be my parents. You'll have to sneak out the window and take Sam's truck. I really don't want you to leave though."

"I don't want to go either," I say reluctantly. "I'll call you when Henri goes to bed. Goodnight, Sarah."

"Goodnight, John. And I can't thank you enough for today. You've got to be an angel," she said and smiled. I laugh inside my head at that comment. If only she knew.I kiss her once more, shut her window, and carefully climb down just to be safe. I could easily jump, but she was probably watching. My head is swimming and the biggest smile is plastered on my face by the time I drop Sam's car off. I then sprint home and walk in the door.

Henri's on the computer searching for more news. "How was it?" he asks without looking up. That was probably a good thing considering my shirt and jacket are at Sarah's.

"Let's just say I'll sleep well tonight," I say and walk down the hall to my room. I could hear him chuckle as I shut my door. I take off my pants, change boxers, and carefully crawl into bed. My emotional pain is gone, but the physical pain is still there. After Henri went to bed, I call Sarah and we talk until three. Then I drift off into a deep, peaceful sleep.

**So that was different from the book, but the main points were still there: Haunted Hay Ride, Fight, Sarah. In future chapters I might change WAY from the book so just be aware! R&R(:**


	2. Covers Blown

**So I thought the first chapter went pretty well and I'm super stoked to write this one(: Hope you like it!**

**PS: For future reference I'm gonna say that John, Sarah, Mark, Sam, and whoever else I add are juniors unless I specify otherwise. I like it better that way.**

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><p>I wake up at around noon the next day and look around. Bernie Kosar isn't in my room, but I assume he's downstairs eating. There's a little rain outside and I can hear a soft breeze. I turn and see my phone has a new text from Sarah. Sarah. I'm starting to wonder if last night was a dream, but after I stand up, I realize it wasn't.<p>

There are bruises tracing from my ankle to my shoulder and multiple cuts on my face. But the worst is when I turn and see the long cut on my left side. It goes from my shoulder blade down to my abdomen, almost touching my navel. But other than that, I have no major injuries which make it a lot easier to hide from Henri.

After applying some healing cream on my cuts and bruises, I throw on a gray hoodie and jeans. I grab my shoes and walk, carefully, down the stairs.

"Henri, I'm going out for a walk!" I yell. No response. He's usually home when I wake up. But it _is _noon. I check the counter and see that he left a note:

_John,_

_You were still asleep when I left and I didn't want to wake you. __I'm in Glouster on some business all day. I left money under __this note for lunch and dinner if you decide to order out or __something. I'll probably be back at around 10:00 tonight __depending on how traffic and work goes. Text me if you need __anything. Have a good day!_

_Henri_

I look under the note and see he only left $15. Great. Henri is still adjusting from life on Lorien. There, $15 would probably be equal to $100. Well, at least I can order lunch. I stuff the money in my pocket and put my hood up. It's still raining outside, but I always find that the rain has a calming, soothing effect on me.

I walk into town and find a coffee shop. It's small and cozy, but not too small that I can't escape if need be. I take note of all exits and make a mental note of where everything is. It's an old habit, but it doesn't hurt to be safe. I walk up to the counter and order a muffin, a bag of coffee for Henri, and caramel cappuccino. It's $14.95. Thanks a lot, Henri.

I pay the cashier and throw the nickel in the tip jar. I find a quiet corner in the shop and sit down in a booth. As I eat my muffin and sip my drink, I lean my head up against the window and look around. Some people think that rain makes the day gloomy, but I think it makes it even more beautiful.

The trees and bushes look a healthy green, slivers of sunlight glimmer on the puddles, and water drips from old, brick buildings. The sight of it makes me smile and I watch as little kids hold their moms' hand and splash in the puddles. They run around with their little rain boots and coats while others hold umbrellas and try to get someplace dry quickly. Then I see a flash.

I think it's lightning until I see another. Then I see Sarah standing with her camera taking close ups of a nearby tree. I finish my drink and muffin then hurry out the door so I won't miss her. I jog across the street and walk up behind her. I slide my arms around her and she goes stiff.

"Don't move... or I'll have to kiss you again," I say as she relaxes. She turns around and smiles at me before leaning in to kiss me. A warm sensation flows through my body and I feel her sweet lips on mine. The feeling is even better than last night, but that's probably because I wasn't completely focused then. Every emotion fills my body as I pull away slowly.

"John, you scared me. I thought you were a mugger or something," Sarah says and punches my arm. I push a strand of hair behind her ear.

I laugh and say, "A mugger who wants your hugs? Sure sounds scary to me." I wink and she grins. I pull her into a hug and lay my face on her head. I take a deep breath and kiss the top of her head. Her hair smells like strawberries and it's intoxicating.

"You smell like coffee. Were you at the Block?" she asks and motions towards the coffee shop I was just in.

"Oh, so that's what the sign says. It's too worn out to read."

"Actually it's called The Coffee House, but everyone around here calls it the Block. It's because the most populated stores form a square at the intersection," Sarah explains. I nod as I look at the intersection. The Coffee House is on the bottom right corner, a clothing store in the top right, a restaurant in the top left, and small movie theatre in the bottom left.

"Well, they have really good muffins there. But things are kind of pricey. They ran me out of money for dinner," I say. A smile slowly creeps onto Sarah's face.

"If you want, you could have dinner at my house. My parents would love to meet you," Sarah says and bites her lip. God, she looks so damn cute like that. I can't refuse.

"That sounds great, if I'm not intruding on anything. Henri won't be back until 10:00 so I'm sure that's fine. But even more important… you've been telling your parents about me, huh?" I ask with a smug look and grin slightly. She laughs and punches me in the arm playfully.

"Shut up."

We walk hand in hand all through town. By the time it's 4:00 we're exhausted and decide to go to my house. Before I even walk inside Bernie Kosar is barking and scratching at the door. I open it up and he immediately starts to sniff Sarah. She bends down to pet him and he licks her in the face.

"Bernie Kosar! We don't do that to guests. Are you hungry, boy?" I ask him and scratch his head. He barks and runs to the kitchen. I chuckle and follow him in. I put food in his bowl and fresh water in the other one. As he happily eats away, I notice Sarah's not in the kitchen.

"Sarah?" I ask. I walk down the hall and see her in my room. She's looking at the atlas pinned up on my wall that has all of the places Henri and I have been to. She traces the line from here to our last destination, Florida.

"I envy you, John," Sarah says without tearing her eyes from the Atlas. If only she knew... but I could never risk it. As much as I want to tell Sarah I know that it's not safe for me or her.

"You shouldn't. This is a good place. I can feel it. And obviously if you're here it makes it ten times better," I say trying to comfort her. She still hasn't looked at me yet so I decide to wrap my arms around her and give her a hug from behind. I can hear her sigh softly.

"I've been here my whole life and you've been everywhere. I'm sure you feel a need for a permanent home, but me… I need to get out of this town," Sarah says and looks down. I pull her into a close hug and kiss her forehead.

"Well, if you leave then I guess I'll have to go with you. If you leave then I have no reason to stay here." She pulls away and groans then flops on my mattress.

"John, you're impossible!" she yells through my sheets. I chuckle and grab her hand to get her up.

"C'mon lazy, let's go." She's resisting so I pick her up and throw her over my shoulder. Sarah laughs and screams at me to let go. She playfully hits my back, but hits the spot where Mark cut me. I groan and she feels me wince. I put her down and feel my back for blood. Sarah has her hands over her mouth and looks upset.

"Oh, John I'm so sorry. I forgot about that and I really didn't mean to and oh god are you ok? Let me see it," she says. I pull my sweatshirt off and she looks at the stitches. I can feel her hands softly roaming over my back to check for anything else. They feel like feathers and make my insides warm. "Nothing came undone. But I'm so sorry, John. I feel so bad."

"Hey, no blood no foul, right? It's ok," I say reassuringly and kiss her softly just to make sure. I bring her over to my bed and lay down next to her. We say nothing, but just stare into each other's eyes. I entangle my fingers in hers and play with her hands, rubbing them softly. I lean my head up against hers and give her a slight smile. She returns it with a kiss on my nose and snuggles closer to me.

She turns over so my chest is pressed up against her back and my chin is in the crook of her neck. I kiss her cheek and wrap my arms around her.

"Sarah?"

"Yes, John?"

"How did you know what to do when I was hurt last night?" I ask.

"My mom. She was a doctor a couple years ago before she became a real estate agent. One day my brother was skating and fell down on a rock. His head was bleeding like crazy, but after my mom cleaned it up, it didn't look as bad. I remember the way she cleaned and put in the stitches. And… Mark used to get into fights. I had a lot of practice with him," she says. She's hesitant about talking about Mark and when she feels me exhale deeply, she turns.

"Don't you dare think for one minute that I would ever think of going back to that ass. Not after what he did to you. And believe me when I say this because I would never, ever lie to you, John Smith." I grin as I hear my own words repeated. I kiss her tenderly at first, but then I move my hands down her sides to her hips. The kiss becomes passionate, but I break away and catch my breath.

"You tease," Sarah says and winks. I smile and sit up. We go into the living room and sit on the couch. I flip on a movie and pull out a blanket. I lean against the arm rest and Sarah curls up against me. Bernie Kosar curls up by her feet and sleeps soundly. We watch the movie for a good hour and a half before I check my phone.

"Alright come on it's already 5:45. If we're going to walk to your house we better get going," I say and extend my hand out. She takes it and we leave my house.

When we reach Sarah's front porch I take a deep breath and am about to open the door when Sarah stops me and rolls her eyes.

She takes my hand in hers before saying, "John, they're going to love you. I already told them how amazing you were."

"How can you say that when we've only been dating for two days?" I ask. She stands on her tiptoes and lightly kisses me.

"Because the first time I saw you my heart skipped a beat." And it was that statement that made me smile and walk in the door. As soon as it opens all I can smell is food. I can smell the steak being grilled, the rice being cooked, and I hear the vegetables being cut.

"Mom! Dad! John and I are here!" Sarah yells. I see her mom's face pop out of the kitchen and smile. She wipes her hands on her apron and walks over. My hand is sweating, but Sarah gives it a small squeeze. And think, I'm more scared of having dinner with my girlfriend's parents then I am of fighting and running for my life.

"John! It's good to see you again. How are you?" Mrs. Hart asks and pulls me into a hug.

"I'm great and you? Dinner smells amazing."

"Oh, why thank you. Aren't you a gentleman?" she says and winks. Sarah smiles at me and nudges my arm. I can feel my face getting warm and I grin sheepishly. Sarah's dad walks into the room carrying a plate of steak.

"The steak is loaded and ready to go, just like my shotgun," he says and looks right at me. We all laugh and I shake his hand. "It's good to finally meet you, John. Sarah has told us so much about you."

"It's good to meet you too, Mr. Hart. I've been looking forward to meeting you both," I say. "But really, it looks like you went to too much trouble for dinner. I would've been fine with pizza, honestly."

"It was our pleasure, John. Now let's sit down and eat before everything gets cold," Mrs. Hart says and leads me to the dining room. Their house is beautiful. The walls are mainly stonework and the ceiling is a deep, dark, brown wood. The table is the same color as the ceiling except it is all natural and hasn't been molded into a rectangle or square. The floors are mainly carpeted except for the kitchen which has rust colored tiles covering the floor.

We sit so I am, uncomfortably, at the head, Sarah is to my right, Mr. Hart is to my left, and Mrs. Hart is to his left. After we start to eat they start pelting me with questions; where I'm from, where I plan to go to college, what I want as a career, what my interests are, and so forth. I have most of the answers already rehearsed from previous cities and towns, but I'm not prepared for more personal questions.

"So, John, what do you find so interesting about Sarah?" Mr. Hart asks. Sarah nearly chokes on her food and starts coughing and I swallow a bit too much water.

"Dad! Uh, John, you don't have to answer that," Sarah says and looks angrily at her father who puts his hands up in innocence.

"It's okay. Well, besides the fact that she's smart, funny, kind, and absolutely beautiful, she's defenitely a special girl. She puts others before herself, she stands up for others, and she has the biggest heart I've ever seen. Everyone seems to be friends with her and she's genuinely down to Earth. And I respect her very much. And the fact that she's an amazing photographer helps, too," I say. I look over and those big, blue eyes of hers are beaming. Mr. and Mrs. Hart smile.

"Well, that was very well said John," Mrs. Hart says. "Thank you for coming over, it was a pleasure seeing you again."

"It was good to see you, too. And very nice to meet you, Mr. Hart," I say and shake his hand again. He smiles and waves as he walks out of the dining room and down the hall. Mrs. Hart follows him soon after which leaves Sarah and I.

"So… how did I do?" I ask. Sarah smiles and kisses me on the cheek.

"Amazing. I can't believe you were so scared," she says and punches my arm. "They loved you; I can tell. The fact that they went to their room means that they trust you which is a very good sign. You are truly wonderful, John Smith."

I grin and kiss her quickly on the lips. Then she grabs my hand and pulls me out of my chair. We walk out the front door and stand underneath the porch. For a moment we just stare into each other's eyes, searching for the right words to say. But there are none. No words that can explain how I truly feel about Sarah. So without warning I lean in and kiss her a little more fiercely than usual.

At first Sarah is taken aback, but then relaxes and begins to kiss me back. The way her lips move on mine make my head feel dizzy, like I'm floating. But it's then that I realize I _am_ floating. I pull back immediately and our feet fall back to the ground. I look into her eyes to try and figure out what she's feeling. But her eyes are as soft as velvet just like her voice.

"John… we were just floating," she breathes and stares into my eyes. I can't lie to her. I nod my head slowly. "Do you know why?" she asks. I look deep into those ocean blue eyes and nod ever so slightly. Sarah takes a deep breath and puts her hands on top of mine.

"Wait until I text you, then climb up to my room. I'll make sure my parents are asleep."

Without another word she shuts the door, locks it, and turns the porch light off. I'm so confused. She didn't run or scream or pass out? But then again, she is a special girl. I run over to her window and jump up onto the roof. I land with a soft pat so that her parents don't wake up. As soon as I feel my phone vibrate I jump into her room through the window.

Sarah's lying on her bed with a plain shirt and pants on. I go over and stand awkwardly next to her bed not sure if she wants me to lay down with her.

"John, why are you always so difficult?" she whispers and pulls me slowly onto the bed. I lay behind her and exhale thankfully. Even after what just happened she still wanted to be with me. Sarah rolls over so that our faces are only inches apart.

"Show me," she whispers. I make the room go black and all I can hear is her slow breathing. Then I make my hands glow softly. I reach for her hand, but she pulls back.

"It won't burn, I promise."

Sarah slowly puts her hand back out and grabs mine. She moves my hands to her own face and I stroke her cheeks gently. After a while I let them fade out and we lay alone in the dark.

"Tell me everything, John. I'll believe every word." I kiss her forehead and she rolls back over so she's facing away from me. I wrap my arms around her and lay head on top of hers.

"I am not from this planet. I once lived on a planet called Lorien. I have special powers and I'm developing more called Legacies. Henri is not my real father. He's my protector. My family is all dead because of the Mogadorians who destroyed my home and people. Only 9 of us and our protectors escaped. The Mogadorians are hunting us down in number order because of a charm that was placed on us. If we come together then the charm is broken. But three of us are dead and… I am Number Four."

I wait for her response, but I can no longer feel her breathe. Her chest has tightened up and begins to shake. I pull her close and kiss her head and face wherever I can reach. I whisper words of comfort to her and she eventually stops crying. But she's still speechless.

"Sarah?" I whisper.

"This means you're not safe here and you have to leave doesn't it?" she says. My heart sinks and all I want to do is say no, but my mouth betrays me.

"Yes."

Sarah turns and buries her head in my chest. I hold her and brush her hair with my fingers moving the strands that stuck to her face because of the tears. I kiss her head and close my eyes.

I whisper, "Just because I have to leave in the future doesn't mean we don't have right now. Together," I whisper and I feel her nodding her head.

We lay there until I'm sure she's sleeping. I kiss her forehead and tuck her into bed. I pull the covers up to her chin and kiss her lips one last time. I write a note and put it on her pillow before closing her window, jumping down, and driving back home.


	3. Well, Aren't Things Swell

**So the day it came out I got **_**The Power of Six **_**and I read it. In 4 hours. I defiantly was NOT pleased with a lot of it. Let me tell you why (**_**IF YOU HAVENT READ IT THEN SKIP THIS PART**_**):**

**1. The author makes Sarah look like the bad guy (which I'm hoping becomes some misunderstanding?)**

**2. John/Six action= BLAH :(**

**3. John looks like a man whore**

**4. It sets John/Six up more than John/Sarah and Sam/Six (which I prefer hehe…)**

**So in short, I got very angry and threw the book at a lamp. I've done that twice now… Well, I'm gonna make Sarah more like how she was in the first book cause I dislike her choices in the second one. Enjoy!**

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><p>The next two weeks go by slowly, without anything but boredom and studying. Our exams are coming up shortly which leaves me no time to be with Sarah. It's breaking me inside because I know she's probably freaking out right now. It's not every day that you find out your boyfriend's an alien, he's being hunted down, and he's going to have to leave at some point.<p>

I try to talk to her in between classes, but she seems to always avoid the hallway my locker is on. During home economics we only talk when we need to discuss anything pertaining to class work. Sarah rarely looks up at me and it's starting to worry me.

Two and a half weeks go by before I finally lose it. During home economics we're making brownies and Sarah is mixing the ingredients together. A bit of flour puffs onto her cheek and use that as my chance.

"Sarah, you have a bit of flour on your cheek," I say. She doesn't look up, but instead mixes the bowl with one hand and wipes her cheek. She only touches part of it so I lift her chin up and wipe away the rest with my thumb. "There," I say and she bites her lip.

"Thanks, John," Sarah says and goes back to mixing. I saw a glint in her eye before she turned away that looked as if she was sorry, but it wasn't enough. As soon as the bell rings I pull off my apron quickly and approach Sarah from behind.

"Here," I murmur quietly. I untie the string on her lower back then lift her hair and untie the one on her neck. My fingers brush against her neck and it makes me remember the second day we spent together. How we laid in each other's arms and how we were so comfortable together.

"Thanks." Sarah's quiet for a moment then turns to me.

"I have to get to ninth-period class. I'll see you tomorrow," she says. She kisses my cheek quickly and walks out of the classroom. I'm so tempted to run after her, but I'm afraid it'll make matters worse. I decide to talk to Henri about it. When I arrive home he's checking the news, like usual.

"Henri, can I talk to you?" I ask.

"Sure. What's wrong?"

"It's Sarah. She's been avoiding me ever since I told her everything." When I told Henri about Sarah finding out he wasn't very mad. He said he knew that it'd come out eventually and the fact that I could float meant more Legacies were coming my way.

"Hmmm… well have _you _tried to talk to her?"

"Today in home ec. But it wasn't a very long or detailed conversation."

I throw my bag down the hall so it skids to my door. I jump on the couch and groan into the cushions. Bernie Kosar barks and jumps on top of me.

"Well, maybe you should go see her tonight. Maybe if you catch her off guard then you'll be able to talk to her."

I take the thought into consideration. I lean up and check the time on my phone. 2:00.

"I'm gonna go see her right now. I'll be back in an hour or so. Order pizza?" I say and Henri nods.

"Good luck."

I grab my jacket and walk out the door. I start running on the sidewalk. Then I start to sprint. I'm running faster than the human eye can detect and I'm not even breaking a sweat. When I reach Sarah's I'm not even sweating or out of breath. I walk up to the door and knock on it. I pray that her mom answers the door and not her.

"Hello, John. How are you?" Mrs. Hart says. I sigh in relief.

"I'm doing well, Mrs. Hart. Is Sarah home?" I ask.

"Yes, she's in her room. Would you like me to call her down?"

"Actually, I'd like to go see her if that's okay with you."

Mrs. Hart smiles. "Go ahead up."

"Thank you."

I walk up the steps slowly and reach her door. I knock softly a couple of times before I hear her voice.

"Come in."

I open the door and she looks up from her desk, surprised. Sarah had been looking at photographs before I came. I glance over and see the picture she took of me the first day of school. I slowly shut the door behind me.

"Hey."

"Hi."

She looks down at the ground and I take a step towards her.

"I need to talk to you," I say and she looks up.

"Well, I really need to study for exams so maybe I can text you or-"

"Sarah." I stare at her intently. She puffs her cheeks out then sighs.

"I'm sorry, John. I've been a real bitch haven't I?" Sarah says. She bites her bottom lip and stands up. She sits on her bed and holds her hand out. I walk over to her and take her hand in mine. I've missed the feeling of her warm, soft hands in mine. Twisting my fingers in hers and placing my palms against hers. I sit next to her on the edge of the bed and can almost smell her strawberry shampoo.

"No, you've just been distant. I understand that you're probably scared or freaking out because I told you I'm an alien, but I just wish you'd talk with me instead of avoiding me. It's okay if you want to break up you know." The second the words leave my mouth she gasps.

"Oh, God no! John, I didn't want it to seem that way. I really don't want to be with anyone else except you. You're all I think about. I was just scared because I didn't want to feel so much broken when you have to leave. I thought if I distanced myself from you then it wouldn't hurt as much, but really I've been dying inside," Sarah says. She reaches her hand up and places it on my neck, my hair in between her fingers.

"I promise you I'm not going to leave anytime soon. The Mogs haven't been seen or heard of so far. The only problem that's going on is you and me. And I swear I'll do everything I can to stay here as long as I can, with you," I say. I look straight into her eyes that are blue like a river.

Sarah cups my cheek in her hand and strokes my eyebrow with her thumb, her other hand still on my neck intertwining her fingers in my hair.

"I believe you." She leans her forehead against mine and the minute our lips touch it's like a weight has been lifted off of my shoulders. I put my hand on the bed just to make sure we're not _actually_ floating then place my hand on the small of her back. My other hand rests just above her neck, the same place my fingers grazed earlier today. She pulls back, but I pull her right back into me and hug her tightly. I kiss her neck up to her head and close my eyes. It feels like my body was made to fit the exact shape of hers.

"I'm sorry," Sarah whispers into my ear. Her breath is warm and it sends tingles down my spine. I stroke her hair and position my face on her shoulder. I place light kisses all up her neck, jaw, and face. I kiss almost every inch of her face except her lips.

"I forgive you."

I lean in and hesitate. Sarah leans in to kiss me, but I pull back, teasing her. She smiles and slides her hands to my neck.

"Now I've got you," she says, grins, and winks. I smile slightly before she closes the rest of the space between us. My head is in a million different places, but my heart is right here and it belongs to her. My pocket vibrates right as we're about to go any further. I sigh and lean back to check my phone. It has a new message from Henri. **Get home, now. **An icy feeling creeps up into my chest and I feel as though something's not right.

"You okay?" Sarah asks and runs her fingers through the hair on the back of my head.

"I don't know. Henri just texted me to come home immediately and I have a bad feeling about this. I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Okay. Call me if you need anything."

"You know I will."

"Bye handsome."

"Bye gorgeous."

And with that I kiss her on the top of the head and run down the stairs. I say goodbye and thank you to Mrs. Hart quickly then sprint home as fast as my legs will carry me. I bolt through the door and Henri is pacing in the kitchen. When he hears me come in, he glares at me and shakes his head.

"Downstairs. Look at the computer," he says. Henri follows me down to where his computers are and I sit down on the street. YouTube is pulled up and the title is **Halloween Trick or Freak?** I gulp and click play.

The picture is fuzzy, but you can see movement in the darkness. Someone is fighting off about three other people. Then, their hands start glowing. Sweat breaks out on my forehead and I hit pause.

"Seen enough? When did you plan on telling me about this, John?" Henri asks. I can tell he's pissed off by the way his right eyebrow is slightly raised. All I can do is look down.

"We have to leave. They're going to find us because of your stupid mistake. Pack your things," Henri says and starts to walk upstairs. My heart drops. Finally, _finally _I've found a best friend, a girlfriend, a good dog, a home, a school that I like, and a town that makes me feel like home, but he wants to _leave_? Not this time.

"No."

Henri stops dead in his tracks and turns around.

"What did you say to me?"

"No. I'm not leaving."

"Yes, you are. I'm your Cêpan and what I say goes so get your stuff."

I stand firmly on the ground and don't move. Henri Stares at me intently and breathes out much too heavily.

"Look, we didn't move here to stay. We move from place to place to keep _you _safe. To keep _Earth_ safe. It's not your choice. We're leaving tomorrow," Henri states. "And that's final." I lose it and storm upstairs with Henri following behind me.

"I never asked for this! It was never my battle and it shouldn't be! I want a _normal _life, Henri. I don't want to be on the run 24/7 like a fugitive. Hell, I even feel like one. We have fake ID's, passports, birth certificates… fake everything! I don't even know my own age! And we haven't even seen any Mogadorians yet so why do we have to leave when it's not necessary?" By this time my face is red and my hands are clenches so tight my knuckles are white. Light is peeking out through my fingers.

"John…" I can't even stand his voice anymore.

"Not even that, but _finally _I have a good friend and an amazing girlfriend who wants to be with me regardless of what I am. And if you think I'm leaving that behind then you better think again."

"John, listen to me," Henri says. It infuriates me even more. I reach out with my mind and make him float up to the ceiling. My eyes are probably piercing holes through his skin like daggers.

"John… I want you to stay focused and angry, but look around," Henri says. I focus all of my energy on him, but I slowly glance to the left. The doormat, the table, chairs, and everything was lifted off of the ground. Suspended in the air. To my left the couch and the television are floating.

"Now, I want you to carefully and slowly retract your power back inside your mind."

I take a deep breath and lower my hands slowly. Everything touches back down on the ground except for Henri. I wasn't letting him off so easy.

"That's good. You can control more objects which means your Legacies are becoming stronger. Now put me down," Henri says.

"Not until you agree to stay."

"Put me down."

"Fine, until you at least let me stay. You can leave and go have a happy life. They'd never go after you."

"Put me down, now!"

"I can do this all day."

"PUT ME DOWN DAMN IT!"

"Oh, so you finally corrected your profanity. Congratulations."

Henri sighs in defeat. He shuts his eyes and breathes in deeply.

"John, put me down and we'll discuss conditions of staying." I lower him to the ground, but still keep a slight hold on him.

"Number one, we need to start training. Your Legacies are becoming stronger and training will help them. And training will come before Sarah or Sam or anything else. Number two, you tell me the truth from now on. Don't hide things from me anymore. We have to trust each other. Number three, at the first moment we catch sight of them in Paradise, we're gone. No pinning me up against the ceiling. Deal?"

I smile and release him completely. "Deal. Now can we go get pizza? I'm starving. All of that made me lose a lot of energy."

Henri and I drive into town and walk into a local pizza place called Planet Pizza. We walk in and sit in a booth in the far corner of the room. I make a quick check of my surroundings and exits before my eyes fall upon the bar. I see Sam back in the corner drawing on a sketch pad. Probably more aliens.

"Hey Henri, can I invite Sam over to sit down? He's alone in the back corner of the bar." I feel bad for him being alone all the time and maybe it would be a good thing for him to meet Henri. It could make him feel like I care about him as a good friend.

Henri glances over at him. "So that's Sam, huh? Sure, invite him over. I'd love to meet him," he says. I get up from my seat and casually stroll over to the bar and sit next to him. Sam looks over at me with wide eyes.

"Hey Sam. My dad and I are sitting over there and I wanted to know if you wanted to have dinner with us," I say and nod my head in Henri's direction. Sam gulps. I get the feeling that he's not himself, and he's being odd. Odd for Sam Goode.

"Uh, sure I guess. Thanks," he says and grabs his back pack. He puts his sketch pad in his bag and I catch a glimpse of what he was drawing. There's a drawing of a boy with his hands out in front of them. They look like they are supposed to be glowing. Then I swear I see the words, '_John Smith?' _below. I feel like someone's punched me in the stomach. _How does he know?_

We walk to the booth and I slide in next to Henri while Sam sits across from us obviously feeling uncomfortable.

"Uh, Sam this is my dad, Henri. Hen- Dad, this is Sam," I say. Henri reaches across the table and shakes Sam's hand. Immediately after Henri let's go of his hand Sam slinks back into the booth. Henri catches my eye and raises his eyebrows, but I just sip my drink.

"So, Sam, how 'bout this weather, huh? You might find this stupid, but I've heard that aliens are causing these storms so that they can land on Earth unnoticed. But that's just me and my stupid hobby," Henri says. I breathe a sigh of relief knowing that this'll keep Sam interested and loosen him up. Sam looks at me with a crooked grin and I realize that he's been reeled in by Henri.

"No I've heard that, but I've also heard that they send tornados to anywhere that they've inhabited so that everything's destroyed. And that thunder is a ship taking off, but lightning is one landing."

"Well, did you know that the Great Wall of China wasn't built as long as it is now? The Ancient Chinese paid aliens to replicate the wall and make it longer."

"Did you know that pyramids were built by the aliens and if you look under any stone they have markings on them?"

Their conversation went on for a half an hour until Sam said something neither of us suspected.

"Did you know that the Mogadorians are coming to take over our planet after they conquer the one they're taking over at the moment? They want to kill all of the humans and use our resources."

All of the color drains from my face and Henri's mouth drops. Our eyes are wide and Sam looks at us suspiciously.

"Does this mean I win? I also remember them having to do with something hunting down nine kids with powers, but that could be a completely different story."

I reach across the table and grab his shirt. "Where did you hear that, Sam?" I ask and stare him down. Sam puts his hands up and wrinkles his brow.

"From the magazine _I Want To Believe. _It started off as a _X-Files _fan club, but then they started writing articles and stuff. Why does it matter so much?" Then, reality hits him. The article, the fight in the woods, his drawing, my temper as he said that. His eyes go wide and he utters the words as a whisper: "You're one of the nine."

I release him and he falls backwards on the floor. He scrambles up, grabs his bag, and backs out the door before sprinting home. I sigh deeply and massage my temples. Well, that's two people that now know my secret. Oh joy.

**Alright so sorry for not updating, but we were out of power cause of the stupid hurricane Irene. And so I had left off with John and Henri at the pizza place and I really just couldn't write at all. So I might just do a lot of Sarah/John scenes and him fighting like a pro cause these other scenes are boring me. I'll start adding some training and stuff, but I have to warn you that I won't be updating as quickly soon cause school is starting and I have travel soccer and a lot of homework. BUT I WILL TRY TO UPDATE ASAP. And let me know what you think about **_**The Power of Six **_**cause it was a love/hate thing for me… anyhow give me feedback people!**


	4. Two Weeks Is A Long Time

**I'M SO SORRY FOR NOT UPDATING! I know some of you added this to your story alerts and I feel bad because it's been like a month… but my life is being taken over by school and soccer at the moment and today I FINALLY had some free time. Well, I'm gonna start writing now cause I'm in the middle of a storm and I just might cry if the power goes out. Anyhow, I'm sorry again and enjoy!(:**

**And as a side note, let's assume John has his driver's license.**

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><p>I groan and put my face in my hands as Sarah rubs my shoulders. I had just got done telling her everything that happened with Sam yesterday and I had no clue what to do about it.<p>

"Just go talk to him," Sarah says, "it worked on me didn't it?" I shrug and she hugs me from behind. We're sitting on my bed waiting the storm out. Sarah's parents don't get home until later and she doesn't want to drive in this weather… or so she says. But hey, I'm not complaining.

"He hasn't answered my calls or texts or anything. I even went to his house and his mom told me he wasn't home, but I saw the curtain move. I really don't know what to do." I sigh and look at her for guidance. Sarah looks deep into my eyes with those crystal blue orbs of hers and I notice just how perfect she is. They way her hair falls and caresses her face, the way her eyes squint when she laughs or smiles, the way her hands feel like feathers, and the way her lips fit so perfectly with mine make me grin like an idiot.

"You'll know what do when the time comes," Sarah says and I snap back to reality. But this can't be reality if I'm sitting with this beautiful goddess of a girl. I wonder if this is all just a dream and I'm really back at Florida sleeping… "John? Earth to Mr. Alien? What are you thinking so deeply about that you're not listening to me?" she teases and winks. I grin and kiss her lips softly.

"You. I'm always thinking about you, but right now about how beautiful you are and that I must be dreaming that I'm really here," I say and she blushes furiously.

"John, if you keep being so damn perfect all the time my face is gonna stay like this forever." She punches my arm, but laughs and pushes me down on the bed so I'm lying on my back. I grab her hand as I fall backwards so she falls on top of me. I lock my hands around her waist so she can't get up.

"You'd still be beautiful if your face was purple."

"Oh, shut up."

"You can't make me." Sarah grins deviously and "pins" my arms down.

"Watch me," she says and crashes her lips on to mine. I grin into her as we're kissing and she smiles back. I couldn't think of a better place to be right now. Not a place on Earth, not a place on Lorien, not a place in the _universe_ could compare to where I was right now. Our lips move together in sync. My hand finds its way under her shirt and rests on her side while the other lays softy on her neck. I can feel Sarah's hand on my back as she slides it underneath my shirt. Her hand is warm on my skin and it sends tingles through my body.

Suddenly, there's a knock at the door and Sarah rolls off of me immediately. She grabs my hand, winks, puts her head on my shoulder, and closes her eyes. Henri slowly opens the door and pops his head in. I motion for him to be quiet and nod my head to her. Henri nods and closes the door. A few seconds pass before Sarah sits up and grins.

"We've gotten really good at that haven't we?" I say and kiss her on the cheek. Sarah leans back into me and I wrap my arms around her. I rest my cheek on the top of her head and engulf her hands with my own. I trace slow circles on the top of her hands and mesh my fingers together with hers. She places her head right below my shoulder and turns her head to the right so she can kiss my jaw line. Then Sarah closes her eyes and nuzzles in closer to me. I feel her warm breath hit my neck and travel partially down my chest.

"I think the rain stopped," she says, but makes no effort to leave my grasp. I nod slightly and close my eyes.

"You're mom and dad will probably be home soon," I say as she nods, too. "And, you need to pack." Sarah groans and falls off to the side. I grin and pull her back up. "Sarah, it's only for two weeks. I'll go with you to the airport and be there when you get back." Sarah is going to Panama to help out in the community. She is building a house down there and giving food to locals. There's so much poverty down there that her youth group decided to go down and help out. She shifts her body to the right so she can look at me.

"Will you? Are you still going to be here when I get back? I couldn't bear the thought of coming back and you-" I cut her off with a long, drawn out kiss. I can't stand it when she gets upset and so far, this is the only thing that works.

"You know, as of now I have no will power to pull away from you, but give me some time and your surprise attacks won't work anymore," Sarah says and nudges me. I laugh and nudge her back. "But really, I'm not going to be able to stand leaving you for two weeks! That's 14 days, John! And to make things worse, there won't be any cell phone reception down there!" Sarah yells and then groans. She flops face first on the mattress and lays there motionless.

I lay down beside her and prop myself up on my elbow. I grab her hand and roll her over so she's facing me. "Sarah Hart, I promise you that I will be right there when you get out of the plane. I'll stay in Paradise the whole time you're gone and I'll be thinking about you every second of everyday. I promise that I'll be here when you get back, okay?" I cup her cheek in my hand and stare intently into her eyes.

"Okay." She smiles and kisses me on the lips softly. I grab her hand and pull her up.

We spend the rest of the day at Sarah's house packing and me having to hear her complain followed by more kissing and then starting all over again. I can tell that Sarah's excited about her trip, but I know she's worried that I'll be gone when she gets home. No matter what happens, I'm staying in Paradise until she returns home.

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><p>"John, I'm going to miss you so much," Sarah says and wraps her arms around me. I hug her as tightly as possible and kiss the top of her head.<p>

"I bet I'll miss you more," I say. I don't want to let go, but I hear her flight being called. I release her and she picks her suitcase up.

"_Flight 354 to Panama now boarding section one."_

"Go on, that's your flight. I bet you'll be back here in my arms before you know it." I smile at her and give her hand a squeeze. Sarah gives me a slight smile, but drops her bag and kisses me one last time. I kiss her long and hard and lift her off the ground. My mind blocks out all of the noise so I can relive this moment when I miss her the most, but I hear her flight being called again.

Sarah breaks free and puts her forehead up against mine and whispers, "Promise me, you'll be here when I get back." She looks deep into my eyes and I faintly nod.

"I promise." I put her down, kiss her one last time, and let her walk to the gate. Before she enters the passage to the plane she turns her head and looks at me one last time before walking away. My heart sinks a little, but I know she'll have an amazing time. Plus, it'll give me 14 days to look forward to seeing her beautiful face again.

I drive home and when I enter the door I see Henri out back through the kitchen window. I push open the door leading into the backyard and he looks up.

"Oh, John, you're just in time. I just finished setting up your training course. Wanna take a test run?" Henri asks. I need something to get Sarah off my mind so I agree.

A few minutes later I'm dressed in nothing, but a pair of shorts. "First off, we need to take care of the physical elements. Your strength and endurance need no work, but your flexibility and coordination need some help. I'm also going to test you with outside forces like your clothes, for example. When your skin is showing like this you must be extra careful. So, let's run the course."

Henri starts the stopwatch and I take off. I sprint down the grass path then jump on to a flat piece of wood no thicker than 4 inches. Nevertheless, I run on it with ease. I hop on rocks sprawled out in a random formation that are sitting in a large field of glass. Most are wobbly and my heels are bleeding by the time I reach the next obstacle. There's a ring of fire sitting on a rock. Yes, a ring of fire.

"Dive through it on the run!" Henri yells. I sprint towards it and dive through. I do roll on the ground and I'm up in a second. Next there are three wooden balls on the ground and four targets. Three are stationary, but one is moving. "Hit each target!" I go to pick them up, but Henri yells, "With your mind! And light them up!" I use my power to levitate them and set them on fire. This requires a lot of concentration, but I hit the first two targets with ease. I have one left and I have to time the moving target so it is right behind the standing one when I throw it.

I wait until it's almost behind the other one and release. The ball hurdles through the first target and only nicks the moving one. I run the final obstacle, roundhouse kick a dummy in the side sending it flying through the air, and Henri stops the stopwatch.

"5:35:01. Run it again," he says and walks off to reset the course.

By the time we're finished, most of my body is bandaged up and bruised. My lungs and throat are burning, my feet are killing me, and it feels like there's someone inside my head whacking it with a baseball bat. I immediately jump into the shower and clean up. I throw on a pair of shorts and a pull-over hoodie and help Henri start dinner.

"So, how was the airport?" Henri asks as I'm cutting up the lettuce.

"Sad, but happy, I guess."

Henri raises and eyebrow and says, "Well, _that's _descriptive. But, I understand what you mean. You want her to go have fun, but you also want her here?" I nod and sigh. It's only been eight hours and I'm already missing her.

"It's going to be hard not seeing her let alone talking to her every day. There's no cell phone reception down there and I highly doubt she'll get any internet. But I guess it just gives me something to look forward to," I say. Henri nods and sets the plates out on the table. It's funny how we eat together like this, yet everything else we do is completely opposite of normal.

"Yeah, that's a good way to look at it," Henri says. I'm about to put my plate down when I hear a knock at the door. I freeze and hide behind the wall. Henri walks slowly to the door and answers it.

"John, it's for you," he says and walks back to the kitchen. When I reach the door I can't believe who I'm seeing.

"Hey, can I talk to you?" Sam says.

**Again, I wanna apologize for not updating soon enough and sorry this is so short, but I figured you guys would rather have a short chapter than wait any longer! I have some good ideas for chapters to come so stay tuned and try to stay patient please(:**


	5. Waiting

**Yay for updating(: I promise I'll make this one longer than the last chapter cause I know some of you were disappointed in its length :P Hell, I was disappointed in its length. So, I'll try to make this one better. Okay, well thanks for all of the positive feedback and everything so here is Chapter 5(:**

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><p>I swallow and just stare at him. My hands are sweating and I nod and open the door up more. I bring him into the kitchen where all three of us sit down.<p>

"I tried to call you, but you didn't answer," I say. Sam shifts uncomfortably.

"I'm sorry. I really freaked out at the restaurant and I didn't know what to do afterwards, but can you honestly blame me?" I look down and Sam continues. "Don't try to tell me that you're not one of the nine. I pieced everything together and I just want you to tell me the truth. Truthfully, I think that if I can learn more about you guys then I can figure out what happened to my dad. But, uhmmm… You're the good guys, right?"

I chuckle and Henri smiles. "Yes, Sam, we're the good guys," Henri answers. Sam breathes a sigh of relief.

"So, then the Mogadorians are the bad guys?" I nod. "Do they… do they abduct people?" I look at Henri and nods ever so slightly giving me the signal to tell Sam everything.

When I finish telling the story from when we landed to now, Sam is in a daze. He has a stupid grin plastered on his face and it looks like he's staring into nothingness.

"Sam? Sam, you still here?" I ask and wave my hand in front of his face.

"So my dad was right! He was right about everything! God, you don't even know how much this means to me! And to think, my best friend is an alien! My life could _not _get any better right now."

I grin and say, "Really? What if I showed you this?" Before Sam can ask, I lift him off the ground. His eyes go wide and he smiles like crazy.

"HOLY SHIT, I'M FLYING!" Sam yells and fist pumps. I lower him to the ground and he composes himself. He puts his hands in his pockets and stares at the ground.

"So… we cool?" Sam asks and looks up. I nod and smile.

"Yeah, we're cool." I shake his hand and pull him into a hug. Sam grins and says bye to Henri and I. When he leaves Henri and I sit down for dinner.

"Well, that's a relief," I say. Henri nods and swallows.

"Let's just hope Sam and Sarah keep your secret. I'm not happy with the fact that two humans already know who we are. If the Mogadorians ever get a hold of them, we're goners. Humans are weak and we can't risk anything more than what we have already."

I grab my fork tightly and try to block the thought out of my head. Sam being hunted down and tortured, and Sarah, oh god Sarah… I can't even imagine what I'd do if anything ever happened to either one of them. I scowl and stuff salad in my mouth to keep from yelling out of pure rage.

"John, please calm down. You're lifting the potatoes off of my plate," Henri says and I sigh. He chuckles quietly and I finish my food as quickly as possible. I storm to my room and jump onto my bed. I pull a piece of paper out of my drawer and start to write.

_Dear Sarah, _

_I know I can't call or text or video chat you, but at least this way I feel connected to you. I'm going to write down everything that happens every day because when you get home, I want you to know what's been going on. So, first off I trained today. I'm really sore and pretty banged up, but I'll survive. Henri says I need a lot of work, but you know how he is. After I showered, Sam stopped by. I know, I was really surprised myself. He told me about how he was okay with me being an alien and all. Then Henri and I explained everything to him and he got so excited that I lifted him up and he started freaking out like the old Sam Goode that I've missed. As of right now I'm laying on my bed writing you this. I came up here because Henri made me think of you and I already can't stand being away from you. I can still feel you here. All I know is that it's going to be a long two weeks. I miss you so much. Goodnight beautiful._

_Love, John_

I put the letter away in my drawer and strip into my boxers. I turn the light off and crawl into bed. I feel Bernie Kosar jump up on the foot of the bed and position himself to fall asleep. I close my eyes and think about Sarah; what she's doing right now, what we'd be doing right now if she were here. I'd probably be talking to her on the phone or sneaking into her house to lay down with her until she fell asleep. I breathe in deeply. I can almost feel her warmness on my body. That's the last thing I think of until I drift off.

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><p>Then next week goes by fairly quickly due to excessive training and the fact that it's my last week of break. School starts tomorrow and it's going to be so hard to go through without Sarah there with me. I've written a total of eight letters so far and right now they're pretty much the same thing: Training and I miss you. I've been hanging out with Sam lately and he's really become a different person.<p>

Sam started training with me. He completed all of the physical obstacles as well as the mental, but do to the fact he was human, he couldn't do the same things I did. Today we're learning some kickboxing and martial arts so it should be pretty fun.

"Roundhouse!" Henri yells. I swing my right foot around and connect with the dummy. Sam does the same, but falls over in the process. He quickly recovers and is ready for the next instruction. "Jump! Duck! Block! Jab! Jab! Hook! Finish!" Henri yells at me. I do everything and kick the dummy square in the chest making it fall over.

"Good, good. You boys are improving. Now, let's see you fight each other," he says while I grin and stare Sam down. He's looking at me the exact same way. "No cheating, John," Henri says. "One, two… THREE!"

Sam runs at me, but I quickly jump to the side causing him to overrun and slip. Before I can pin him, he's up. This time, he's cautious and doesn't charge me. I lunge forward and try to hook him, but he blocks me and pushes me over. I roll backwards onto my feet and give him a cocky grin. Then Sam runs head down at me and takes my legs out. I roll over so I'm on top of him and pin his arms. He taps the ground in defeat.

"Yes! I'm the World Champion!" I scream and put my arms up. Sam sticks his tongue out and shoves me. Henri laughs and ends training. Sam goes home so I jump in the shower.

I let the hot water run down my body and lean my head up against the wall. I think about Sarah. Only one more week until she's back in my arms. I smile to myself and close my eyes. I pretend the water is her hands going through my hair and rubbing my back, shoulders, and chest. I miss her laugh, her smile, and mostly I miss her eyes. I can always tell how she's feeling when I look into them. They're like ice if she's mad, they look like a river if she's sad, and they're as blue as the ocean when she's happy.

I sigh and turn the water off. I stroll into my room and open my drawer. I pull out some jeans, a white T-shirt, and a maroon sweatshirt. I put everything on and zip up my hoodie. I grab my wallet and walk into the basement where Henri's working.

"Hey, I'm gonna go into town for an hour or so. I'll be back in time for dinner, alright?" I say.

"Sure, that's fine. Just keep your phone on you. I'll see you at 7:00," he says and I nod. I run up the stairs and out the door. It's a particularly nice autumn day, so I run into town.

I love running. I love the feeling of blood pumping through my veins so fast that I can't even feel it. I love it when the air blows by me and it feels like I'm flying. Running makes me feel free and never fails to bring a smile to my face.

When I arrive, I'm barely tired. I stroll casually down the sidewalk with my hands in my pockets. I pass the Block and take a right down past the hardware store. I reach the store I'm looking for and smile. I push open the door and walk up to the counter.

"Hello, how can I help you today?" he asks. I smile and look in the case.

"Hi, I was wondering if you could tell me if Sarah Hart has been looking at any specific cameras. I know she's a frequent customer here and I want to surprise her when she gets home," I say.

"Are you a friend of Sarah's?" he asks.

"Boyfriend."

"Well, she keeps lookin' at this one right here," he says and points to the case. It's an older looking camera with a leather strap. I look closely and see that the lens in cracked in all sorts of ways. I furrow my brow and ask to see it.

The cashier gets the camera out and chuckles. "It may not look like much, but you should see the way it takes pictures. Sarah also likes the old, beaten up ones for some reason," he says and hands it to me. I look through the lens, take a quick shot of the tree outside, and hand it back over. I follow him into the back and develop the film.

The picture of the tree is there with light shimmering through the leaves, but it's broken up into sections and fragments due to the broken lens. I smile.

"I see why she likes it now," I say. We go back out front and he places it on the counter.

"Tell you what; I'll sell this to ya for $250; half price. But, you have to do somethin' special with it for her. Sarah's probly my best customer and she's been lookin' at this thing for at least a month now. I think it's 'bout time she gets it all to herself instead of waiting for someone else to come in and buy it. Wha'dya think?"

My mouth opens. The price on the card says $500 and I feel guilty buying it for so much less. The shop doesn't look like it gets much business so I shake my head.

"That's such a generous offer, but I couldn't possibly take it. I'd like to pay the full $500. You've been very kind to me today and I don't want to pay that much less," I say. He scratches his chin and chuckles.

"Well, you're a very nice kid, but how about $400? Same deal, but since it's for Sarah I'd give her a discount anyways."

I smile. "Deal."

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><p><em>Dear Sarah,<em>

_School has been hell without you. Home ec is terribly boring and I'm stuck listening to Sam drone on about how amazing it is that I'm an alien. I don't know if I can take much more. I got your make up work and dropped it by your house this evening so you won't have a pound of work to carry home on Monday. The fact that you're coming home tomorrow is crazy. I keep wondering how the two weeks went by so fast, yet every night it takes me hours just to fall asleep. I can't and won't stop thinking about you. Everything I do makes me think of you whether it's getting coffee or sitting in my room, I just can't seem to get you out of my head. Your hair, your smile, your laugh, your eyes, oh god your eyes… look at me. You're absence has turned me into a teenage girl. I can't stop thinking about tomorrow either. I talked to your mom yesterday while I passed by her in town. She said that she and your dad had to leave for a funeral this weekend and asked if I could pick you up. She's really sorry. So I guess you'll be getting a surprise tomorrow. Well, I need to get some sleep. I'll see you at 6:00. Miss you so much. _

_Love, John_

I put the letter in my drawer on top of the other thirteen and shut the drawer. I extinguish my floating light (oh yeah, I can do that!) and slip under my sheets. I stare out the window and think deeply about everything. I think about training, school, Sam, Henri, Lorien, and the Mogadorians. A shiver goes down my spine and I think about the last topic. I wonder if they're on my trail right now. I wonder if they've found me and are just waiting for the right moment to get me.

I shake the thoughts out of my head and just think about tomorrow. I can't wait to see Sarah's beautiful face and her smile. I can't wait to hug and entangle my fingers in hers again. I can't wait until I hear her voice saying my name and the sound of her laugh. Mostly, I can't wait to feel her lips on mine again.

I love kissing Sarah. It's the best thing I've ever felt. Back in Florida I had a couple girlfriends, but no one really compared to her. The girls I dated then were popular and mean to other people. They were like typical cheerleaders in movies. Sarah's popular in the way that everyone likes her and respects her. She's genuinely kind and caring towards others and I just can't get her out of my head.

I close my eyes and smile. Tomorrow is probably going to be one of the best days of my life.

As soon as I wake up, I grin like crazy. She's coming home today. I bounce up out of bed and check the time. 12:30. Good, that means I only have to kill six more hours. I lift Bernie Kosar up and twirl him around the room. Cliché? Yes, I know. But can't everyone have that "jumping for joy" movie scene every once in a while?

"Hey buddy, you want some breakfast? Alright, let's go," I say and put him down. He happily trots to the kitchen and I follow. Henri's at the table reading the paper and sipping some coffee. "Morning, Henri," I say and get Bernie Kosar food and water.

"Good morning, princess. How are we feeling today?" he asks and chuckles without tearing his eyes from the paper at all. I roll my eyes, but grin regardless.

"I'm still a teenager, okay?"

"Yeah, one that shoots fire from his hands."

I levitate an apple from the basket in the middle of the table and throw it at him. Henri scowls and puts it back in place, but I swear I see the slightest grin.

After I eat breakfast I decide to take Bernie Kosar for a walk. I walk him down to the local park where the Halloween Carnival was held and let him run around. I find an old tennis ball and chuck it far away. While I'm waiting for him to come back I feel my phone buzz. I pull it out and my stomach flips.

**Text Message From: Sarah Hart**

**Hey, I just landed in Atlanta(: My mom told me that you were picking me up, too!**

**Can't wait to see you. I've missed you so much!**

I grin and reply back:

**Can't wait :)**

I leave it at that and smile. Bernie Kosar comes sprinting back and I scratch his head. "Come on, buddy," I say and put his leash back on.

We jog home and Henri is waiting for me out back. "Today should be a good lesson. I expect you to train today due to the fact that Sarah's on your mind. You need to concentrate and stay focused on the task at hand," Henri says. I nod, but really I'm too excited to concentrate or listen to what he's saying.

I completely fail training and in the end Henri just shakes his head and tells me to go shower. I know he's disappointed, but what can he expect? I'm still just a teenage boy who's dating the most beautiful girl in the world and who can't stop thinking about her.

I jump in the shower and clean up. I shave, put on some deodorant, and wear a little bit of cologne. I put on a black V-neck with some dark-grey jeans and a pair of black shoes. I head to the living room and sit on the couch. I flip on the TV and watch _FUEL. _I like to stay connected to surfing even though I left Florida. It's the thing I miss the most about that place.

Before I know it, it's 5:30. "Henri, I'm leaving!" I yell and close the door. I hop in the truck and head towards Chesterville. It's the closest airport to Paradise and it only takes about 25 minutes to get there.

I'm anxious to get there, but I try to watch my speeding. That's the _last _thing I need to happen tonight. I grip the steering wheel tightly and focus on the road. The traffic has died down since 5:00 so I'm in luck.

By the time I pull into the parking garage my heart is pounding. I pull in, lock the truck, and head inside. I walk up to the desk and am greeted by a young woman.

"Hello, sir. Are you checking in or buying a ticket?" she asks and smiles.

"Actually, I was wondering if you could tell me where the flight from Atlanta coming in at 6:00 was stationed. I'm picking up," I say and smile. The lady points me in the direction of Gate A 1-6. I go through security quickly and wait at Gate A3. I tap my foot in anticipation.

Finally, I see the hallway door open. A flood of people come out and I search the crowd for Sarah. All of a sudden, she's there and my heart melts.

"John!"

**Ahhhhh(: Sorry to leave you with only that, but the next one will probably be up by the weekend. I know I went through 14 days fairly quickly, but I couldn't resist. Hope you liked it! Reviews are greatly appreciated! Anyhow, thanks for reading!**


	6. Surprises, Surprises

**Chapter Six(: ****So I forgot about Mark… let's just pretend he and Sarah only dated for a couple months until she got sick of that jackass(: I don't want her to have gone through rehab and all that junk for drugs and stuff… Anyhow, finish the chapter and you'll get what I mean(;**

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><p>"<em>John!"<em>

I grin like crazy as Sarah runs and jumps up into my arms. I catch her and spin her around, hugging her and engulfing her body into my arms. I tuck my head into her shoulder and kiss her neck before whispering, "Hey beautiful."

Sarah pulls back and kisses my lips hard. There are no words to describe how I feel right now. Basically, it's like one of those kisses you see in the movies, except better. It seems like minutes until we break apart.

"Hey handsome," she breathes and smiles that gorgeous smile. My heart melts and I can't stop smiling at her. I notice people staring at us and smiling, but I don't care. All that matters is that she's home. I put Sarah down and grab her bag. I lean up and kiss her again before putting my other arm around her waist and pulling her close.

We walk out to my car and I throw her bag in the back seat. I get into the driver's seat and pull out of the parking lot. Sarah has a hold of my right hand and plants small kisses on top of it.

"So, how was it?" I ask. Sarah's eyes light up and she smiles.

"Oh John, it was amazing! The first week we finished the house we were building and it's just amazing! I loved my team that helped work on it and the village people were so nice and friendly towards us. The second week we got to drive around in different towns handing out food and it was so sad to see all the poverty and starving people there. There were little kids on the streets and as soon as we gave them something they wolfed it down like a vacuum. It was really depressing to see, but in the end we helped five villages and over 500 people."

I smile at her and turn my eyes back towards the road. I listen patiently as she tells me how her trip went. It really makes me happy to know that she had an amazing trip.

"But honestly the whole time I was there, all I could think about was you. You're the first thing I think of when I wake up and the last thing before I go to bed. I couldn't help but wish that you were there with me. You have no idea how much I missed you, John," Sarah says and kisses my hand.

"I bet I missed you more. I failed training today because of you," I say and wink at her.

"Oh, you started training? How's it going?"

"Good, but I'll be able to focus now that you're home," I say. I continue to press details out of her the whole ride home.

After about 30 minutes we get back to my house and walk in. Bernie Kosar jumps up and licks Sarah.

"Hi, boy! Did you miss me? I missed you! Oh, yes I did," she says and scratches his head.

"Sarah! It's good to have you back. How was the trip?" Henri asks as he walks into the room. Sarah hugs Henri and proceeds to explain to him how her trip was. We heat up some left over pizza and have that as our dinner. I could tell Sarah was starved because she ate almost three pieces.

"Alright, well I'm pretty tired. It's been a long day, so goodnight guys," Henri says and goes to his room. I grab Sarah's hand and walk into my room. I close the door and lock it before taking off my shirt, shoes, and socks and throwing them in the corner. Sarah raises an eyebrow at me and I chuckle.

"What? It's hot in here," I say and wink at her making her blush.

Sarah's sitting on my bed just watching me. Her hair is in a messy bun, she has no make-up on, and she's wearing one of my sweat shirts and a pair of jeans, yet she's the most beautiful girl I've ever laid eyes on. I go over and sit next to her. I pull Sarah on to my lap and wrap my arms around her waist. "I missed you so much," I murmur into her ear. I kiss her cheek and lean back crashing into my pillows.

Sarah giggles and says, "I missed you way more." I roll my eyes.

"Why is everything a contest with you?"

"Cause if I don't win, then I don't get the prize."

I laugh and say, "What makes you think you deserve a prize?" Sarah sticks out her bottom lip and makes a pouting face. I roll over and hide myself under the covers. She laughs and tries to pull the covers off, but without any luck.

"Fine, I guess I'll just drive home then," she says as I feel the weight lift off the bed. I rip off the sheets and grab her waist before she can stand. I pull her under the covers and wrap my arms around her.

"You're never leaving me again," I say and snuggle close to her. She turns towards me and without warning, kisses me hard. She works her way from there and soon we're making out. Her, well rather _my_, sweatshirt comes off and she's left in her jeans and a white tank top. I catch my breath and lean my forehead up against hers.

"Thank you," Sarah says and I look at her questioningly.

"For what exactly?" I ask and brush hair back from her face.

"For keeping your promise. John, I was really afraid that I was going to come back and you wouldn't be here or you'd be dead or you'd find some other girl…" Sarah says. I silence her lips with a soft brush from my finger and I kiss her cheek.

"I told you before that I'd never lie to you. And I'm gonna stay her no matter what it takes," I say and dim the lights. I can sense her nodding and I kiss her again. She rolls back into me and I hold her so that we're both comfortable.

"John?"

"Mmm?"

"I don't want to leave you tonight," she whispers. I close my eyes and smile.

"Well good cause you're not allowed to leave me ever again."

Sarah grabs my hand and kisses it before snuggling back into me. Let's just say, it doesn't take long for me to fall asleep.

When I wake up in the morning I'm in the exact same position I was in last night. Sarah's back is facing me and she's snuggled up close to my body. My left arm is under the curvy part of her torso and her fingers are still entangled in mine. I smile and kiss her temple before carefully sliding my arm out from underneath her. I figure she won't wake up due to her long day and the time change.

I take a quick shower, but slip back into the jeans I was wearing last night. I check my phone and see it's only 10:00. Perfect. I walk into the kitchen and see a note on the table from Henri.

_John,_

_Went to the big bank out of town. Should be back around 5:00. Call me if you need anything._

_Henri_

Oh, even more perfect. Sarah and I alone for seven hours is definitely what I've wanted and needed for a while.

I grab a bowl, some pancake mix, and everything else I need and start cooking. I make six pancakes, bacon, cut up some fruit, and pour two glasses of orange juice. I set everything on the counter and carefully sneak back into my room. Sarah's still sleeping peacefully in the same position I left her in.

She looks like an absolute angel. Her bun had fallen out and her hair just lies in waves behind her. Her eyes are closed and I swear I see the slightest hint of a smile on her face. I grin and carefully crawl in bed next to her and close my eyes. I hear her wake up and feel her roll over. I pretend to open my eyes groggily and smile at her.

"Hey handsome," she says and lays back down on the pillow facing me.

I give her a small peck on the lips and say, "Hey beautiful. How'd you sleep?"

"Wonderful."

"Mmm… so did I, but I can't figure out why that is." I wink at her and she rolls her eyes. "Hungry?" I ask and she groans.

"Starving, but I'm comfortable right now. I don't wanna get up." Then I pick her up bridal style and get up off the bed. I walk into the kitchen and set her down. She gasps a little and smiles at me.

"John, you're amazing," Sarah says and kisses my cheek. I sit down next to her at the counter and we start eating. I talk to her about school and she tells me more about Panama. After we're finished eating and we clean up I come up behind her and give her a long kiss on the cheek.

"Guess what?" I ask her.

"What?"

"Henri won't be home until 5:00, you're parents are gone for the weekend, and it's only you and me in the house today," I say and smile at her.

"So, I'm guessing we should get started on homework then, right?" I roll my eyes at her and turn her so she's facing me.

"No, it means we have about six and a half hours to do whatever we want," I say and smile. Sarah grins at me and kisses my nose.

"Good because we need to make up two weeks of not communicating with each other." Just then, I remember my surprise for her. I grin widely and grab her hand.

"Come with me."

We walk into my room and I jump on my bed. I reach over to the side drawer and open it up. I grab the letters I wrote to her and hand them over.

"These are letters I wrote to you while you were gone. I missed you so much that I needed some way to release how I was feeling at the time so I wrote these to let out my emotions. And before you even ask, no I'm not gay." I wink at her and she rolls her eyes, but grins wildly.

We spend the next 30 minutes reading my letters and when we finish Sarah leans over and puts her head on my chest.

"Have I ever told you how incredibly amazing and romantic you are?" she asks. I stroke her hair and rub her back with my other hand.

"Have I ever told you how beautiful, smart, funny, and amazing you are?" Sarah blushes and I smile. "I still have another surprise for you though," I say and she lifts her head up.

"John, I feel really bad that you're giving me all of these amazing surprises and I haven't given you anything," she pouts. I sit up in mock shock and open my arms.

"Come here." Sarah pushes herself up and leans into me. "You have given me everything. The night that you found out who I was, I realized then and there that I needed to keep you for as long as I could. You're the most amazing person ever to not freak out about that and I'm so lucky to have you." Sarah turns and kisses me. I sigh and pull her closer. She is, in one word, amazing.

We break apart and I help her up. "I told you though, I still have another surprise for you," I say and grab her hand. I missed holding her hand a lot, too. It's the sort of thing that if I'm having a bad day and I feel her hand in mine, the world is just a better place.

I lead Sarah out into the living room and sit on the couch next to her. I reach under the couch and pull out a box. Sarah glares at me and reluctantly takes it.

"John, you _know _how I feel about gifts," she says and clenches her jaw. I roll my eyes at her.

"Stop being so damn difficult and open up the box. And don't freak out, I got a really good deal on it. The cashier was really nice," I say and smile at her. She groans and punches my arm.

"John! Stop buying my expensive things for no good reasons!" Sarah yells, but lifts the lid anyhow. In the box, the camera I bought at the store was sitting on top. Beneath it was a collage of photos I had taken while she was gone. There were three for every day she was gone.

Sarah gaps as she lifts it up and looks through the lens. She points it at me and I grin at her. She takes the shot and I blink. Next, she examines the collage I made. She runs her hands over it like it's an ancient artifact that has just been dug up. "It's beautiful," she whispers.

"You're unbelievable. First, you pick me up from the airport and let me sleep over. Then, you make me an amazing breakfast. Next, you show me the sweetest letters in the world. And finally, you buy me this amazing camera and make me a beautiful collage? There's something seriously wrong with you, John Smith. But thank you, they mean so much," Sarah says and hugs me. I kiss her on the cheek and smile.

"Anytime."

We take some pictures for a while and by the time it's 12:00 we decide to go into town. I get dressed, clean myself up, and walk out into the living room. Sarah's sitting on the couch waiting for me.

"John, can we go to my house so I can change? I don't care what you say, but I'm _not _going out in public looking like this," she says. I grin and pull her up off of the couch.

"You always look beautiful, but okay. I'll help you unpack too if you want." Sarah agrees and we hop in the truck.

When we get to her house and into her room I feel like it's been ages since I've been in here. Everything is exactly the way I remember except that her bed is made. I unpack her suitcase while she showers and changes. Everything in her suitcase has brown and black stains on it from the mud and work she did and there are even some small holes in her shirts, but they look like old ones she doesn't care about.

I throw her dirty clothes in her hamper and take all of her other belongings and place them on her bed. I don't know where most of them belong so I just leave them there. I can still hear the shower running so I sit on her bed and look around. My eyes wander off to her desk where a bunch of folders are sprawled out. I get off the bed and sit in her chair and look them over.

One is titled _Family_, another _Paradise_, and another _John Smith_. I smile and open up the one with my name on it. I see the first picture she took of me is on top. I fan through them and see many that we've taken together and others where she caught me by surprise. I shut the folder and put it in a pile with the other two. When I lift it up, I see one last folder at the bottom called _Ryan Porter_.

I flip it open and my chest tightens up. There are pictures of Sarah and, as I assume him to be, Ryan, kissing and laughing. Pictures like the ones we had taken together. I clench my jaw and am infuriated until I spot the date at the bottom of the photo. They were all taken last year. I relax and take a deep breath. It would've been terrible if I had exploded on Sarah like I was thinking before. But why would she still keep all of these photos of this guy? I honestly don't believe that they're for an artistic reference.

Right as I shut the folder Sarah walks in. "Hey, what were you looking at?" she asks and dries her hair with a towel. Damn, she's so cute when her hair is like that.

"Just some of your pictures. You're really amazing at that, you know," I say and give her a fake smile. Sarah blushes a little and walks over to hug me. I kiss the top her head and wrap my arms around her. As I release her, I decide then to pop the question. (No, not that question…jeez.)

"So, uh, who's Ryan Porter?" I ask and her eyes go wide. I raise one eyebrow and she opens her mouth, but shuts it fairly quickly.

"It's not what you think, John. You know I'd never do that to you," she says and looks at the ground. Of course I know she wouldn't! It just bothers me that she kept the pictures.

"I know you wouldn't. I just… I don't know. I feel kind of scared that you keep them because maybe you still love him and want to go back to him or something. I just wanted to know why you still have them." I put my hands in my pockets and shift around uncomfortably. Sarah looks at me and a tear falls down her cheek. My heart tightens and I'm afraid for what she's going to say next.

But she says nothing and instead bursts into tears. My heart drops and I hold her. "It's okay, Sarah. Just tell me what you want. I promise I won't be mad," I say. I lead her over to her bed and sit down. I lean against her headboard and hold her on my lap. She buries her head in my shoulder and I can feel my shirt begin to dampen. After a few minutes she wipes her eyes and looks me in the eyes, hers searching for something.

"It's your eyes, John. They remind me so much of his. Everything about you is the same, but different. John, the reason I keep those pictures is because Ryan died last September. I was helping him take some pictures for the school newspaper and there was a shooting. He died trying to protect me and that's why I became a photographer. That's why I can't get rid of those pictures. That's why I can't lose you."

The guilt sinks in and I can't even speak. What type of person am I to suspect her immediately of cheating or wanting to leave me?

"Sarah, I'm so sorry. I had no clue. God, I'm such an ass. I feel like an idiot. Can you ever forgive me?" I ask and give her a pleading look. Sarah gives me a half laugh and hugs me tightly.

"It's okay," Sarah whispers. "I should've told you about him before, anyhow." I just slightly nod and kiss her cheek.

"I still feel terrible, though," I say and look down, slightly frowning. Sarah tips my chin up and kisses me. I move my lips and tilt my head slightly to deepen the kiss and smile internally. She pulls back and cups my face in her hands, stroking my jaw line with her thumb.

"Better?" She asks and gives me a slight smile.

I lean forward and give her a soft, slow kiss before replying, "Much."

**Hope you liked it(: I'm thinking the next one will be up by… Sunday? Sorry, but I have a lot of soccer and school this week! Review, review, REVIEW! Thanks!**


	7. And That Is When All Hell Breaks Loose

**Alright so I think it's time to throw some twists into the story… what do ya think? ;) Well, honestly it doesn't matter because it's gonna happen anyhow! I've decided to put in some unpleasant surprises and it might piss y'all off at first, but I think you'll get over it. Anyhow, here's chapter seven!**

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><p>We decided it would be best to just go to the park and have a picnic by ourselves. After I was a complete and total dick to her, I felt the need to make it up.<p>

"Alright, would you rather… date me as a human or as an alien?" I ask. We're walking through the sparse forest holding hands and joking. Sarah seems much happier and calmer than before which is a good sign.

"That's not a fair question! They're supposed to be _hard _decisions, silly," she says and bumps into me, grinning slyly.

"Fine, but which do you choose?"

"Easy. I'd still date you as an alien." I raise an eyebrow and ask her why. "Well, because you wouldn't be yourself anymore. You wouldn't be as protective, you wouldn't be so secretive, and I never would've been attracted to an arrogant, obnoxious John Smith," she says and winks at me. I make a fake appalled face and gasp.

"What makes you think I would be arrogant and obnoxious?" I ask and cross my arms in front of my chest. Sarah rolls her eyes.

"Hot guys are _all _arrogant and obnoxious. It's just a rule as a human male. Which is why I'm glad you are who you are," she says and gets up on her tiptoes to kiss my cheek. I levitate her off the ground so that she catches me full on the mouth. When she pulls back, she says, "John, by the end of the day my lips are going to be chapped and swollen because of you and your amazingly good looks."

"Oh, so you're only after me for my looks? Well, doesn't that make me feel good about myself," I say and pout. Sarah wraps her arms around my neck and plays with my hair at the beginning of my head.

"And your alien powers and money. Don't forget about the free breakfast and lunch either," she says and winks. I kiss her lips tenderly and put my hands on her hips. I pull her closer to me and look into her eyes.

"How about dinner? You wouldn't happen to want one of those tonight, would you?"

"Only if it's free."

"Fine, we'll eat out of the dumpster behind a nice restaurant."

"Sounds appetizing."

I let out a deep sigh and shake my head. "You won't let me do anything nice, now will you?" I say. I gaze deep into her eyes and plant a kiss on her forehead.

"John, this whole day, no, whole _weekend _has been amazing because of you. Stop trying to spend your Lorien gobs of money on me or I swear that I will leave, go to Panama for three years, then come back and see how you're feeling." I can only shake my head and grin at her. Sarah punches my arm and says, "Stop smiling! That was supposed to be a threat."

"I'd wait thirty years for you and still take you back." I tilt her face towards mine and kiss her on the lips. I feel her tongue trace my bottom lip and I let her in. After a minute, we break apart and she studies my face closely. I push a strand of hair back behind her ear and smile slightly.

"What is it?"

"You look... you just remind me a lot of Ryan is all," Sarah says and bites her bottom lip. Her eyes scream guilty, but I understand. I'm not jealous of him. He's dead and I'm alive here with her. I know it sounds harsh, but it's the truth. He's never going to come back and I'm never going to leave her.

I nod and take her hand as we begin to walk out of the trees. "Can I ask you something without upsetting you?"

"You can ask me anything."

I look ahead at the ground before gazing back towards Sarah. "Did you love him?" Sarah looks to her right up to the horizon line where the trees meet the sky.

"No, at least I don't think so. Granted, he was an amazing guy, I just felt like I was meant to be with someone else. I know I had strong feelings for him, but not love."

I swallow. I think about what she says and wonder how she feels about me. Am I just another guy she has strong feelings for or someone different? She can't love me anyhow. She can't fall in love with a guy who's being hunted down. A guy who's supposed to go and repopulate a fallen planet. A guy who's supposed to save the world.

She grabs my other hand and faces me abruptly. "John? What are thinking right now?" Sarah asks. I sigh loudly and pull her into a hug.

"I'm thinking that I wish I would've just stayed hidden and never met you. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me, but I can't help but feel that if something were ever to happen to you that it'd be my fault. I brought you into something you should never have had to deal with and I'm so sorry."

Sarah pulls away and studies my face carefully. I don't know whether she's upset with what I just said or not because her eyes form a blue wall that I can't see past.

"You know John, you didn't pull me into this. You told me who you were and I accepted the risk of dying, of hiding, of you leaving. I could've run away, but I didn't. You can't blame yourself for my decisions." It's true, but I can't help feeling guilty. She's the most amazing thing that's ever happened to me and I refuse to let her go.

"Okay, okay. Let's just go home alright?" I say and lead her out of the woods.

When we get back to my place, I feel like something's wrong. The house looks ghostly and the wind is blowing hard. It was warm a few minutes ago, but it feels as if I just stepped into a freezer. I open up the door slowly and Bernie Kosar is whining uncontrollably. I check his food and water, but they seem to be fine. "What's wrong, buddy?" I ask and scratch his head. Just then, my phone starts vibrating. I check the caller ID: **Henri**

"Hello?" I wait, but there's a soft static noise. The hairs on my neck stand up. Something's terribly wrong. Finally, I hear a noise.

"Hello, Number Four. You know who it is. Meet us in the warehouse one block east from the bank your Cêpan was at. You have one hour." _Click. _My mouth drops open. They were here and they knew where we were.

Frantically, I grab my jacket and the keys off the counter. I sprint into my room and pull the Lorien dagger out of my closet. I quickly put it in my belt loop and run back out into the kitchen. I dial Sam and tell him to wait outside the high school in five minutes.

"John, what's wrong?" Sarah asks. She has a worried look on her face, but I grab her hand and race outside. Bernie Kosar follows and jumps in the back of the truck.

"John! What's going on? You're scaring me," Sarah says and grabs my arm. I pull out of the driveway quickly and head towards the school.

"The Mogadorians are here. They have Henri. I need to go get him and I only have one hour. Sam is going to take you into the school and hide until I get back. Do not try to contact anyone until I get there. If I call you, don't answer. It won't be me and it'll be a trap, okay? Sarah, I need you to focus," I say and look into her eyes pleading. She softly nods and looks straight ahead.

When we reach the school, Sam's already there. "John, what's going on?" he asks.

"They're here and they have Henri. Keep her safe and don't leave the school until I come get you. Can you do that?" Sam sternly nods and I open the truck door. I pull out a shotgun from the case under the passenger seat and hand it to him. "Can you use it if necessary?" I ask. Sam nods and pulls it across his chest. I walk over to Sarah and she practically jumps into my arms.

"I promise I'll come back for you, Sarah," I murmur into her hair. "You know I'd never lie to you." I feel her tears coming down on my shoulder and let her go.

"Stay safe, John," she says as her whole body quivers. I nod and swiftly turn around. I don't look back because I know it'll only make things worse. I jump in the truck and drive away as quickly as possible headed for the city.

No matter what, I'm coming back for her.

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><p>"Perfect," he sneers. He's watching the parking lot of the high school where the blonde human filth is embracing Four. He puts down the binoculars as Four drives away. The Mogadorian grabs his communicator and says, "Four is on his way. He took the bait. Permission to engage?"<p>

There's static before a deep voice answers, "Permission granted."

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><p>My knuckles are white on the steering wheel. I'm gripping it as tightly as possible and breaking at least twelve laws in the process. Fifteen minutes left before the deadline. I finally reach the sign indicating I've entered the city so I slow down. My heart is beating a thousand miles per hour as I catch sight of the towering building. It definitely looked like a bank for the upper class so no wonder Henri came here to withdraw money.<p>

I drive past the bank and take a right heading east. I pull into an alley and open up the weapon box. I put a small pistol in the waist of my jeans and quickly walk across the street. It's freezing outside and I can see my breath as I walk. I reach the warehouse and take in the building. It's old red brick with faded signs on it everywhere. The roof is caked with rust and papers litter the ground. I run and jump onto the old black fire escape ladder. I pull myself up quickly and crawl in the broken window.

The old wooden floor creaks as I jump onto it. It's pitch black so, crouching low, I throw a fireball into the air. It illuminates the room where Henri is tied up to a chair, bloody and bruised. I rush towards him and take the cloth out of his mouth. He gazes up slowly with wide eyes.

"John… shouldn't… have come… a trap…" he gasps. I quickly turn around ready to fight, but no one's here. It's eerie and quiet except for my quickened breathing and Henri's small moans.

"Henri, what did they do to you? How did they know we were here?" I ask and start to cut his ropes off. That's when I notice a silver glimmer out of the corner of my eye. There's a Mogadorian dagger sticking out of his right side. Instantly, I'm infuriated. I scowl furiously and curse under my breath.

Henri starts coughing and I see specks of blood fly out of his mouth. "No, no, no, no, no! Henri, you need to stay with me. I'm gonna get you out of here, okay?" I say and look into his eyes. I feel mine start to swell up with tears. Henri gives me a small smile.

"John," he coughs, "It was all a trap… get back to Paradise. They were going to… kill me and kill Sam and Sarah. You need to go, now." My heartbeat quickens with the thought of Sam and Sarah in this same situation. I scream in frustration and get the rest of his ropes off.

"Henri, I'm going to take the dagger out now, okay?" He simply nods and I pull it out quickly. He bends over and lets out a moan. His side is bleeding like crazy and I have no way to stop it. I let the tears slip out of my eyes and crouch down so I'm level with his eyes. "Henri… please don't leave me," I whisper and look into his brown eyes. His are tearing up too, but I know it's not because of the pain.

"John, you're capable of so much more than you possibly know. You'll be okay. Your chest is under the seat in your truck. Never lose it. Everything you need to know is in there. The Mogs… don't look into their eyes, John. That's how they got me here. And remember, there's a reason we came to Paradise. I'm so sorry… I'm sorry that I couldn't have helped you more, but you're strong. Remember that I'll always be with you," Henri says and motions towards my heart. My breath is short and raspy and my eyes are on fire.

"Henri, please no…" I whisper. Henri smiles once more before closing his eyes.

"I love you, John. I'll be with you, always," he whispers. After that, I see the breath go out of him. His body emits a soft blue glow and then brightens to where I cannot see anymore. I feel the heat from the light and I faintly feel a brush on my shoulder, like the brush of a hand. It finally dulls down and the chair is empty.

"I love you, too," I whisper to the silhouette of nothingness that sat in the chair. I stand up and yell with rage. They've taken my damn planet, my family, and now the only thing that resembled family. And now they're going to take the girl who means the world to me and my best friend? Hell no.

I send the chair crashing into the wall, breaking a hole through it in the process. I leap out and dive into the truck. I floor it out of the alley and onto the highway.

Tears are blurring my vision as I rip through the road going close to 85mph. The sky was darkening and rain started to pour down on the windshield. Bernie Kosar whimpers in the seat next me. Damn, Mogadorians are screwing with the weather. It doesn't faze me though. All I can think of Sarah. _God, please be okay. Please be safe, Sarah. Oh God, no…_

When I reach the Paradise sign, I slow down and drive as close to the speed limit as possible to the high school. I pull up near a house by the school and get out. Opening the box, I put the pistol away and reach for my other dagger. It was gleaming blue as I slipped on the handle which bound the knife to my hand. I grab a small Lorien "hand gun" and put it in place of the pistol. I swiftly walk towards the entrance of the school and take a deep breath. I'm soaked from head to toe, my hair drips infront of my face, and my skin is gleaming with water, but my body feels like it's on fire. My lust for blood is higher than it's ever been. I place my hand on the handle.

It all ends now.

The second I open the door a shot whizzes by my ear. I roll off to my left and hit the sign-in desk, my head bashing into the side. I feel a warm liquid roll down the side of my head. There's a Mogadorian scout standing at the beginning of the hallway loading his gun. He's giving me a wicked smile and I see the small shark-like teeth gnashing together in his mouth. I glance up and see his eyes are giant black orbs scowling at me. Henri's words echo into my head: _The Mogs… don't look into their eyes. _My body is filled with pure malignancy as I get up slowly.

The Mog takes aim with the gun and shoots, but I'm quicker. Sprinting towards him I slide under the beam of red and knock his legs out from under him. He falls with a grunt, but before he can get up, I plunge the knife on my hand into his back. It strikes his heart and he disintegrates instantly. I get up and hear a set of heavy steps trudging down the hallway. Quietly, I hide behind the desk and wait. My breath I shallow and my heart is pumping so much blood so fast right now that I feel like I'm going to pass out.

I slowly grab my gun and peek over the desk. Another scout is looking around for whoever killed the first scout. Carefully, I aim the gun at the Mog's head and shoot. The gun barely whispers before a green light flies out the end turning the scout into a pile of ash. I run out of my hiding place and peer down the long hallway. Nothing. I hide behind the wall that goes to the hallway on the left and look around the corner. Two scouts are stomping along the ground this way.

Quickly, I shoot once at the one on the left. The green beam shoots from the barrel, but does something strange. It breaks in half and hits both of the scouts straight in the chest. I run at them with both knives in my hands now and strike them both in the neck. Gurgling with a black liquid seeping from their wounds, they turn into dust. I smile at my gun.

"Oh, hell yeah," I breathe and continue along the hallway. As I'm about to round the corner, I hear an earsplitting scream.

"John!" It was Sarah.

"No…" I whisper. I stop dead in my tracks and listen. And before I can stop to think, I call out her name. "Sarah!" Oh, shit. I sprint down the hall hoping no one heard me.

As I'm running, a red light passes by me and skims my left bicep, burning a hole through my shirt and jacket and cutting my arm. "Shit!" I yell and look behind me. A scout is right behind me trying to keep up. I skid to a stop and remove my dagger from my waist. Remembering training, I wait for it to get closer. Twenty more feet, fifteen more feet, ten, five… I launch the dagger right as he's about to fire. It pierces his heart and emits a blue glow around it. The scout screams in agony as the light travels into his body and explodes. A wave of dust hits me as I go pick up the dagger.

I run towards the cafeteria and crouch down behind the door. I look left and right down the halls checking for more scouts, but there are none. Carefully, I concentrate and the muffled voices inside become clear.

"Stop crying you weakling! We're not going to kill you. No, you're too pretty to kill. We're only going to inflict as much pain as needed for your precious Number Four to come rescue you," says a deep voice. I can hear Sarah whimpering and it's almost as clear as my heart shattering into a million tiny pieces. There are a few deep laughs. I count five scouts… maybe six?

"You piece of shit! Just… just let her go. Take me instead. Let Sarah go, please," Sam says. My chest contracts and I feel a sense of pride. Then I hear Sarah's small scream, a loud thud, and Sam's groan. I peer inside and see what's going on. It's dark, but Sam and Sarah are both tied to an overturned table. The shotgun is in pieces and there are in fact four scouts standing behind them. A soldier is in the front who I assume was the one speaking.

Sarah has a cut on her arm and some scratches on her legs, but that seems to be all. Sam, however, looks like hell. He has a bloody lip and a black eye forming. Blood is caked all on his face and there's a stream of blood flowing from his head. I'm sure he has multiple bruises under his clothing, but only his face seems to be cut up.

"Stop it!" Sarah yells.

"I told you to shut up you little-" I bust open the door and open my Lumen. I hear screams of pain as I shine my lights into the eyes of the scouts standing behind them. One actually turns into ash, but the other three just cover their eyes and scream. The soldier spins around with a knife in his hand. I lift the solider up and send him spiraling into the bricks at the other end of the cafeteria to buy me some time. Doing so, I release my Lumen and the three scouts, dazed, start to focus.

I pull out the gun and shoot one, hitting its shoulder. I try to shoot again, but the gun is out of ammo. I toss it aside and run towards a table. I jump onto it and fly through the air crashing on the wounded one. I quickly plunge my knife into its heart, killing it. But, I'm pulled off the now pile of dust and am thrown across the table into the side of a trashcan. Dizzy, I get up and see the two scouts closing in on me. I get to my feet and ready myself.

The front one swings, but I duck and his knuckles connect with the wall. I kick him in the stomach and he skids across the floor. The next one has a sword and he swings it at my legs. I jump and land on his arm. Snatching the sword that came loose from his hand, I plunge it straight into his back where his neck meets it. As he disintegrates, the other gets up and pulls a gun out and run at him and kick the gun upward which hits him in the face. I sink the knife connected to my hand into his heart and twist. I watch as his eyes roll back and he turns to dust.

Exhausted, I limp over towards Sarah and Sam to cut the ropes loose. I grin at Sarah, but her face turns to full blown terror. "John!" she screams. That's the last thing I hear before I feel a knife being stuck into my back.

**Ohhhh sorry for the cliffhanger ;) This was a pretty long chapter and right now I'm putting off a civics essay that I have to write so you should be thanking me! Haha, just kidding, but let me know what you think. I know it was a sad one, but it had to happen sooner or later. Anyhow, review, review, review! Thanks!**


	8. In The Midst of Everything, I Love You

**Okay so now that you've been biting your nails in anticipation and they probably look like gross little nubs, I give you… CHAPTER EIGHT!(: By the way, I know it's supposed to follow the book, but I really like Six's description in the movie versus the book. **

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><p>"<em>John!" she screams. That's the last thing I hear before I feel a knife being stuck into my back.<em>

I look down and see the tip of the metal dagger poking out of my chest. I don't feel any pain, only emptiness; pure emptiness. I hear Sam yelling and Sarah's cries. I drop to my knees moaning and fall on my chest. The ground is cold on my face and it feels nice, but it's soon gone as the soldier rolls me over. He yanks the dagger out of me and throws it to the side. He's smiling wickedly at me and raises his sword.

"I want you to be looking at me when I kill you, Four. I've waited a long time for this," his deep cold voice purrs.

"Not as long as I have you son of a bitch." The voice is a girl's and it's laced with an Australian accent. A panicked look crosses the soldier's face before he's nothing but dust. A girl is standing above me dressed in all black. Curly blonde hair pulled into a tight bun, hazel eyes, and an overall bad-ass looking chick. She runs over and cuts the others loose before kneeling next to me.

"Hey, Four. Sorry it took so long to get here," she says and gives me a small smile. I look up at her in disbelief.

"Who…?" I start to ask, but before I can finish the question Sarah's hovering above me and I lose my thought. "Sarah…" I sigh and try to smile at her. She smiles back, but tears start to fall down her cheeks.

"Hey John," she says and strokes my face. I start coughing and blood comes up. I groan and shut my eyes. It feels like my organs are about to come flying out of my mouth and any moment.

"Who are you?" Sam asks.

"I am Number Six."

My eyes fly open and I try to sit up, but Six's hand keeps me down. "How… did you find me?"

"I've been tracking you ever since Three was killed, but now's not the time. Right now we need to patch you up before those damn soldiers and beasts get here. But holy shit… I dunno what I can do…" Six looks at me and closes her eyes trying to think.

I reach around for Sarah's hand and interlock my fingers with hers. "Sarah… listen to me," I say and open my eyes. I look deeply into hers and see her shaking her head ever so slightly.

"No, John, no… stay with me, please. I need you, John. I can't live without you," Sarah says and rambles on. I shush her and reach my hand towards her face. She kisses it softly and cries into my hand. "John, I can't lose you too." I remember Ryan Porter and how painful it was for her to remember him again. I try to take a deep breath, but all I can take in are short rasps of air. I feel like I'm on the Moon and there's no oxygen.

"Sarah, just know, that you… are the only girl in the universe… that I have ever loved. And you always will be. I… I love you, Sarah," I whisper.

"I love you too, John," she says as tears stream down her face. "Please don't leave me, John. I can't do this again. Please stay with me..." I can hear and feel Sarah shuddering. Then there's a movement and a soft voice. But that's the last thing I hear…

…until the real pain begins.

It feels like my bones are being broken and ripped out of my body one by one. There's a fire inside of me and I can't touch it. I scream in agony and writhe about on the floor. My forehead is laced with sweat and my breathing is as fast as ever. My heart is beating so fast that I feel like I'm going to explode. After what seems like ages, the pain goes away and I drift off into blackness.

Images are passing through my head. _Sam, Six, Lorien, Henri, Sarah, Bernie Kosar… _It's like I see my life as a move played out before my eyes. I see myself mostly. I'm playing in the grass on Lorien or holding on to Henri's hand. Then I fly through all of my old houses. _Mexico, California, Virginia, Florida, Montana… _It stops in Paradise. I see Henri and Sam and Sarah. Sarah is there a lot and I can almost feel her with me.

But it can't be, because I'm dead, right? No, I should be able to move if I was dead. I shouldn't feel any pain. I'm most certainly alive, but where am I? There's only darkness and soft voices that I can't make out even if I concentrate. My body is tingling in certain spots and I don't know what's going on. It's like I'm walking, no _flying, _around in this black vortex and I can't get out.

I try to scream or yell for help, but no sound comes out of my voice. Frustrated, I try to remember how I got here. I feel like I'm in a small dark world and I don't know who I am or what's going on. Silently, I think to myself. _I am Number Four. My name is John Smith. Henri is my Cêpan. I'm on the run from Mogadorians. My home was Lorien, but now it's Earth. I live in Paradise, Ohio. I love Sarah Hart. Sam Goode is my best friend. Six has found me. _Then it all comes in like a flood.

The phone call, the school, the fight with the Mogs, Sam and Sarah being captured, Six finding me, and Henri… oh God, Henri…

I awake with a start and bolt straight up only to fall back down on my side, grimacing in pain. Tears slip down my face as I remember Henri's death. I remember everything. I silently shed tears for Henri. I cry for everything. My body is shaking now and I can't contain the noise. I can hear my own short rasps of breath and the moaning I release.

A small warm hand creeps on to my side. Another finds my face and beckons me to roll over. I do and I face the most beautiful angel the world has ever seen. Sarah gently caresses my face in her hands and I see a tear slip down her face.

I try to calm down, but all I can do is cry harder. Sarah wraps her arms around me and she holds me for however long until I fall asleep.

When I wake up I'm in a new room. I feel clean and notice that I have on a fresh pair of boxers, but nothing else. My skin feels warm and cleansed. I run my fingers through my hair and notice it's not bloody, dirty, or greasy. But other than that, I feel like hell.

I feel weak and I know I haven't eaten anything in a while. My mouth is dry and my head is dizzy. No matter how much sleep I get, I'm still tired. I feel scabs and stitches on my face, arms, and legs, but the worst is my chest and back. I can barely move without it sending ripples of pain through my body.

I pull the covers off and prop my head up against a pillow so I can look at my chest. There's a white scar shaped like a crescent moon, but no scabs or stitches. Confused, I try to get up and find explore the new place, but a hand grabs my own. I glance over and see Sarah laying next to me. I hadn't even noticed her before.

She's laying on her stomach on the bed with her arm extended out touching my hand. Her eyes are closed and her hair looks like it hasn't been brushed in two weeks. There are bags under her eyes and they're red from her crying. She mumbles something that I can't hear so I lay back down and pull the sheets over me. I scoot close to her and kiss her ever so lightly on the temple. Her eyes flutter open and she looks at me for a minute.

"I'm dreaming," she mumbles. I chuckle quietly and brush a few strands of hair out of her face.

"That's what I keep telling myself," I say. I get no response so I slide my hand under her cheek and pull her face towards mine. Our lips touch very lightly and I pull back. Sarah opens her eyes, fully awake now, and I see tears building up. "Hey beautiful," I whisper.

Sarah lets her tears fall as I pull her close to me. I feel her shaking so I just rub her arm and her back telling her that everything's okay. I see her glassy eyes stare up at me and she lunges at me. Our lips meet and I sink into the bed. She laying on top of me, but I don't even notice the pain. All I can feel is her sweet lips on mine, the brush of her skin, and her feather-soft fingers exploring my hair. She clings to me like she's holding on for dear life.

I pull away from her and rest my forehead up against hers. "John… I thought I lost you," she whispers. I pull her close to me and bury my face in her hair. It smells like strawberries.

"It's okay, I'm here. I told you I'd come back. I love you so much," I murmur into her hair.

"I love you too."

I truly love Sarah. I've never felt this way about anyone or anything before. When we were apart it was the equivalent of pieces of my heart being ripped out of me each day she was gone. By the last couple days I was miserable. But now, as this amazing girl is laying on top of me, her arms wrapped around my neck and tender lips pressed to mine, I know that I'm never going to let her go.

Sarah slips off of my chest, but sticks herself to my side and grabs my hand in both of hers. I pull the blanket up so we're both warm and cozy. Sarah's legs find their way into mine and one of her feet rubs my calf. I close my eyes and ask, "Sarah? How did I survive?" She rests her head on my shoulder and begins to tell the story.

"Well, right after you shut your eyes I started pleading for you not to go. It was terrible, John. It felt like my whole world had been stripped away from me in an instant. It was even worse watching you fight and then walk over towards me while that Mogadorian stabbed you. I swear I couldn't breathe. Anyhow, after you shut your eyes Six came running over with a weird stone thing. She told Sam and me to hold you down while she pressed it to your wound. You were screaming bloody murder and your wound just healed right up. It was red for a long time, but I don't think that scar's gonna go away. But that's okay," Sarah says and grins. She walks her fingers up my abdomen to the scar and whispers in my ear, "It's kind of sexy."

Her breath and voice sends shivers up my spine. I smile and plant a kiss on her forehead.

"So, who do I need to thank for patching me up, cleaning me, and bringing me to… uh… well where are we?" I ask.

"We're in a hotel right by the border of Ohio. We're planning to keep going south and hit Kentucky. And that would be me," she says. I turn red and think about her giving me a shower. I love Sarah, but the farthest we've ever gone was sleeping in the same bed or making out without a shirt on. The thought of her seeing me more than half-naked embarrasses me.

She notices me discomfort and rolls her eyes at me. "John, you _are _aware that I have two older brothers, right? Trust me, you have nothing to worry about," she whispers. I glance at her and see her eyes are closed. Pretty soon I hear her slowed breathing and see her chest rise and fall on cadence. I kiss her forehead and get up out of her grip ever so softly. It takes some time to get up, but overall the stretch feels good.

I walk over to the desk where a pile of things are. There are some of my old clothes, a folder containing fake identities that Henri made, some of his laptops, and finally my Loric chest. I pull the chest out of the bottom of the pile and place my hand on the lock. It glows and feels warm under my touch. The lock seems to melt away and I lift the lid.

There are various stones and small pouches, but what I'm looking for is at the bottom. I pull out the white pieces of paper and lock the chest again. I make myself comfortable in a chair facing Sarah and begin to read. My throat contracts right as I see Henri's writing.

_Dear John,_

_I'm so sorry for leaving you. I know that if you are reading this letter that I have failed you as a Cêpan, as a Lorien, and as a friend. I'm sorry that I will not be able to accompany you on the rest of your journey, but I have faith that you'll save Lorien and Earth. Remember that the Mogadorians are scared of you and that's why they so desperately need to kill you. I hope you continue your training because it will increase you physical and mental strength as well as your Legacies. I expect great things from you, John, and don't ever forget it. _

_Now, there are some things I think you need to know. We came to Paradise for a reason. Well, actually two now that I think about it. But, mainly because of your friend Sam. His father, Malcom Goode, helped us when we landed on Earth. He was there the day we arrived and helped us get identities and a place to stay. We stayed in Paradise for a week before leaving. I regret that choice everyday knowing that Sam has no idea where his father is. I honestly can't tell you where he is, but I hope he's okay. If there's one thing Sam should know, it's that his father was a great man. He needs to know that._

_More recently I've discovered that we were meant to come here for you. You're in love with Sarah. I can tell and I knew it the day she came home from Panama. Let me tell you something about love. Loriens only love once. Once you fall in love you're bound to that person forever. I can't tell you that Sarah's going to stay with you, but I know you're never going to be the one to leave her. Physically, it's possible. Quite hard, but not impossible. Mentally, it's impossible. If you truly love Sarah, you're going to love her forever. There was a prediction that you all would mate with a human, but it was ruled out a long time ago. However, given the circumstances, I see that the predictions were right. Tell her what I'm telling you, and maybe, no, hopefully, you two will survive. The other numbers may not like this, but it's the truth. I believe you were all meant to mate with a human._

_Finally, I want to tell you how lucky I feel to have been with you through all of this. I wouldn't change any of it. Not the fights, the frustration, the anger, none of it. I'm glad I got to spend my last days with you rather than being annihilated on my home planet. I wouldn't have missed doing this for all of Lorien, John. And I'll always be with you, just remember that. I love you, kiddo._

_Henri_

I let my tears silently fall off of my face on to the paper. I can't even read the other letters he's left to me yet. Every happy memory I've ever had with Henri flashes by me in an instant and my body feels like an empty shell; an empty shell where everything means nothing to me anymore. With my head in my hands I silently sob, but there have been too many tears shed today.

Slowly, I get up and walk into the bathroom. My eyes are red so I wash my face and clean myself up as best as I can. I stare into the mirror at myself. My right cheek has a slanted cut on it as well as my left temple. My jaw is bruised and my eyes are sullen and dark. Checking my body out again, I see the white scar in the middle of my chest as well as one on my left shoulder. My legs aren't too bad, but as I turn around and crane my neck to see my back I know that Sarah did one hell of a job.

There is a massive white scar on my back that is much larger than the one on my chest. It's a crescent shape, but there are jagged cuts jutting out from it that are all stitched up. There are some severe bruises on the upper part of my back, but nothing too bad on the lower portion.

I decide to crawl back into bed because I'm exhausted despite the fact that I've been asleep for God knows how long. Sarah has rolled over so it leaves me in a good spooning position. I get up close to her and wrap my arms around her waist pulling her as close as possible. I tuck my knees just behind hers and wrap my foot over her top foot softly. I rub her arm softly with one arm and whisper everything I can think of to her.

"I love you so much, Sarah. You are my world, my life, and my soul. There's nothing I wouldn't do for you. I'm never going to leave you ever again or let you get hurt. I'm through with the pain and I only want you. If anything ever happened to you, my life would be over. You are the only thing that keeps me going. You're the reason I'm alive and I'm never going to let you go. You are my one true love, Sarah Hart."

"I love you more," Sarah whispers. I grin madly and kiss her on the cheek as I doze off into dreams of Sarah and me.

**Mmm… sorry this took longer than I thought. I can't make any promises of when the next one will be up, but stay tuned!**


	9. A Day In The Life Of An Average Teenager

**Sorry this took so long! I had a lot to do over the week (aka staying up until 1:00 to finish homework or showering at 12:00). But, anyhow here's the chapter(:**

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><p>"Four! Get your sorry ass out of bed!" Six yells as she pounds on the door. I grunt in response and pull the covers over my head refusing to budge. Sarah pokes at my chest.<p>

"John, you're going to have to let me out. Come on you big baby," she says and struggles to get free. I refuse to move and tickle her side with the arm I have restraining her from getting up. "John! Stop… it…!" she yells and laughs madly. Soon I take my other hand off of the covers and go all out. She starts laughing so hard that her cheeks turn red and tears start falling from her eyes. I stop, but not before pinning her arms above her head and hovering over her chest.

"Do I win?" I ask and cock my right eye brow.

"Yes, yes! You win, alright? Now can you let me go?" Sarah asks.

"Not without a kiss."

"You don't deserve to be kissed!"

"I do, too!"

"Nuh uh!"

"Yeah huh!"

Sighing in defeat, Sarah leans up as far as she can and plants a quick kiss on my mouth. Her soft, pink lips are like feathers brushing mine, but I lean down to get more than just that. However, just then, I hear a loud bang and instantly turn around in a protective stance so that my whole body is covering Sarah's. The connecting door to Sarah and my room and Six's room is busted open. Fragments of wood fly across the room and one nails my cheek. I feel a drop of blood fall off of my face. Six is standing in the doorway with a pissed look on her face.

"Was that really necessary? You scared the hell out of me!" I yell at her.

"Well, you wouldn't get up! We need to move. Three days has been too long and we're still too close to Paradise. I'm pretty sure you're rested up well enough so pack up and let's go. Now," she says sternly and swiftly pivots around walking into the next room. I walk over and slam the door shut only to have it fall off of its hinges.

"AHH!" I scream. I shut my eyes and grunt while rubbing my temples. God damn she was irritating! I've known her for about a day and she's already getting on my nerves. Well, this'll be a fun trip.

I walk over to the desk and start to pile everything in the bag. I feel small, warm hands creep onto my back and travel up to my shoulders.

"John… babe I think you need to take a deep breath. You're breaking things," Sarah says softly. I glance over into the bag and indeed see a couple shattered boxes. I rummage through the mess and clean it up. Luckily, I didn't break anything of Henri's. I grumble a few colorful words under my breath and start to repack everything, softer this time. Sarah ropes her arms around my waist lightly and puts her face on my back. "You okay?"

"Just great!" I yell. It was a rude remark and I know Sarah didn't deserve it, but it just slipped out. She doesn't say anything, but silently goes over to pack up some of the few things she had gotten before we left. The room is silent except for our movements. I sigh and say, "Sarah, I-"

"John, don't worry about it. I'm fine." She doesn't even look at me, but keeps packing her stuff. She finally throws her bag next to the door and starts packing my own clothes.

"Sarah, I'm sorry. That was uncalled for and I feel really bad. There's just a lot going on with me, okay?" I say the last sentence quietly, but she definitely heard. Sarah throws my shirt down and stares at me.

"Oh, and I guess the rest of us are just along for the ride, huh? No, I didn't watch you almost die, or scream in agony, or wait for you to wake up for two days wondering if you were ever going to! I didn't just leave my house without telling my parents who probably think I'm dead or kidnapped! I didn't just almost die from some alien race that I didn't even know existed until I met you! And God knows that I'm not constantly worrying about you being hurt or killed! You're not the only one who has problems, John!"

"Sarah, I'm supposed to save the _world_. _Your _world. I never even have a choice! My basically father just died! I almost died. Sam almost died. _You _almost died. How can you expect me to live with myself knowing that I almost killed you? How do you expect me to live with myself knowing that you're in danger every second of every day and that I'm the one putting you there? And how the hell do you expect me to live myself if I let you die? If you die, I have no reason to live anymore."

"John, stop it! You now that's not-"

"No, damn it, it _is _true! Read this!" I yank Henri's letter out of my jeans and hand it to her. I go over and sit on the bed and lean over with my elbows on my knees and head in my hands. I let out a big breath and shake my head slightly. After a minute I say, "I just can't lose you, Sarah. Every minute they get closer. Every minute you're here, the more chance you have of being in danger. But every minute we're apart feels like I'm slowly dying; like I'm just turning into an empty body."

I glance up and she nods slowly at me and walks over. I pull her into my lap and she wraps her arms around my neck. I kiss her forehead tenderly and hug her as close as possible. I can feel her trying to contain her tears. I whisper my apologies over and over to her until I can't think of anything else to say.

"I love you so much, John. I will never leave you," she murmurs.

"I love you too. So much you'll never know. And you know that I'd never leave you, but I don't know if I can keep you with me. I can't sleep, I'm on edge all the time, and right now you're distracting me so much that I wouldn't even be able to fight if we were to be attacked right here and now," I say. It breaks my heart to say it, but I can't keep her with us. It's way too dangerous.

"What do we do?"

"I don't know, I just don't know."

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><p>We decide to leave shortly after so hotel management doesn't get us for breaking their door. With Six on her Ducati in front of us and Sarah, Sam, Bernie Kosar, and I in the truck, we head towards Virginia. Sarah's sleeping softly in the back seat. She needs it, too. She's been up non-stop apparently and I'm starting to worry about her. Last night was the first night she had actually gotten any rest.<p>

I look over at Sam. He's gazing out the window watching the back of Six's motorcycle, or more likely, how good she looks in those tight jeans and jacket. I take a deep breath and look over at him.

"Sam? I need you to do me a favor," I say.

"What?" he asks and yawns groggily. I take a deep breath and re-grip the steering wheel.

"Don't yell at me because I only got this yesterday, but take the paper next to Sarah and read it. There's some things on there you need to see."

Sam furrows his brow, but twists back and grabs the note from the seat next to Sarah. I hear him open in up and wait for what's coming next. At first, there's only silence. Then, I hear a small gasp and look over. He's choking back tears and has his hand over his mouth. Finally, he looks up and tosses the letter on the dashboard.

"Henri… why didn't… ever tell me?" he asks and stumbles over words before breaking out into sobs. I can't help but feel the same way. Why didn't Henri ever tell me any of those things before?

"I don't know, Sam, but this means that your dad was a good man. He wasn't crazy and he sure as hell wasn't going on about UFO's. The things he dealt with are real and he's the sole reason I'm here today. I promise you, I'm going to do everything I can to help find him." Sam nods, but quickly lifts his shirt to his face to wipe away the tears. He turns to the window. I can see his reflection ever so slightly, but I swear I see a faint smile forming on his lips.

Eight hours later, we reach the hotel in Virginia. We're staying in a small town off of Virginia Beach **(A/N: Had to represent!) **so that we can tell if any Mogadorians show up. I pull over into the hotel and park. I almost fall out of the car, but grab the handle and pull myself up. I'm exhausted from driving and I feel like my eyes are being held open by duct tape. I blink and refocus my eyes. Everything's blurry so I rub them harshly.

I pull open the back door and gently shake Sarah's shoulder. She slowly opens her eyes and begins to move. "Where are we?" she asks.

I reply, "Virginia. Come on, I'm exhausted." She slowly makes her way out of the truck and I grab our bags. After we get inside and check in, I bring Sam all of Henri's computers so he can try and figure out how to get fake documents for all of us. I give Six a couple items from my Loric chest since I have no idea what they are and bid them both goodnights.

I shower quickly, brush my teeth, and put on clean boxers before crawling into bed. I scoot next to Sarah and hold her close to me. "I'm sorry for today," I whisper. Sarah leans her head back and kisses my jaw before reassuring me it was alright.

"You know what's weird? Most girls would find sleeping with their boyfriend like this completely weird and scary, but to me it's become... normal," Sarah says. I smile to myself and think about most teenage guys. They'd be dying to be where I am right now except they'd just be wanting to get in her pants.

"Well, considering that we're on the run from psychos, your boyfriend's an alien, and we're not typical teenagers, I think there's an exception."

She laughs quietly before yawning and saying, "I'm tired. I'm going to sleep. Love you, John."

"Love you too, Sarah."

After that I fall asleep quite easily. The drive killed me and despite what Six thought, my body still ached. I start dreaming about Henri.

I'm walking through a meadow surrounded by a lush green forest and the light is shining through some trees. I can almost hear the birds singing. I can almost feel the heat of the sun on my body and the soft breeze. I can almost smell the flowers and dew on the grass. Then Henri walks out of the trees. I run up and hug him as we both break into smiles and laughter.

"Henri, what are you doing here?" I ask. He looks at me and gives me a sad smile. I've missed his smile and his face so much. Just his presence makes me feel safe.

"I can visit you in your dreams, John. Did you read the letters yet?" he asks. I shake my head and say that I've only read the first one.

"Why didn't you tell me before?" I ask. Henri sighs and scratches his chin.

"Lots of reasons I can't talk about right now. I don't have a lot of time."

"But, we just got here!"

Henri chuckles and says, "John, it's been two hours."

After those last five words are spoken, all I hear is my name. I wake up suddenly and listen. I can hear Sarah crying my name in her sleep. "John… John no! John, please, no…" The pillow under her head is wet and tears are flowing freely from her eyes. I grab her by the shoulders and shake her awake softly.

"Sarah. Sarah, wake up. It's okay," I say. Her eyes finally fly open and she looks at me closely before breaking out into tears again. She quickly wraps her arms around my neck and cries into my shoulder. I lean against the backboard and hold her in my lap stroking her hair and moving it off of her face. "Shhh, it's okay. I've got you, Sarah. Everything's alright. We're both here. Shhh, I'm here," I say trying to comfort her.

We sit there for a good five minutes before she has no more tears to cry. I glance over to the clock and see that it's 1:15. I grab a glass of water from the night stand and hand it to her. She gulps it down gratefully and puts it on the table beside her. Sarah places her head on my shoulder and I gently lift the hair off of her face and tuck it behind her ear. Softly, I wipe away the wet spots on her cheeks with my thumb.

"Sarah? What happened? You scared me to death," I say as I look into her eyes.

"I had a nightmare about you. It's the same one. The Mogadorian who stabbed you comes up and stabs you with a sword. You're lying in a pool of blood and your face is white and lifeless. It's all so real, John," Sarah whimpers and sniffs. I gently rock her body and kiss her face.

"It's okay. As long as I know you're here, I will continue to fight for you. I'm not going anywhere." Sarah nods gently, but stays curled up on top of my lap. I gently slide under the covers with her and lay on my back. Sarah keeps her arms around my neck and her head on my shoulder. I keep my right arm locked around her waist and my left hand on her arm, stroking it comfortingly.

"I love you Sarah. Sleep well," I whisper and she nods her head. I kiss her cheek and close my eyes.

I don't dream about Henri, but instead wake up at 7:00 (well, earlier for me since I'm still on Paradise time) and decide to go outside. I untangle myself from Sarah and kiss her temple softly. I throw on a black hoodie, a pair of mesh shorts, and some Vans. I scribble a note and put it on the pillow beside Sarah before slinking out the door.

I jog to a small secluded beach and look out over the horizon. The sun is just starting to peak out over the blue world and the sky is filled with orange, pink, and yellow. I tuck my sweatshirt and shoes into a nearby bush and run across the sand. It fills the gaps in between my toes and I leave new footprints in the freshly paved sand. Before I even reach the water, I know it's cold. It's the beginning of December and I can feel the chilliness engraved in the sand where the water had already come up at high tide. Regardless, I sprint in and let the coldness engulf me.

I sink to the bottom and let my lumen heat me up. I open my eyes and make sure the glow isn't reaching the surface of the water. There's no one out because the water's so cold and it's rather calm today, but I can't be too careful. My body heats up and it's like I'm a ball of fire cutting through sheets of ice. Bubbles start to rise up so I cut my lumen off and instantly start to feel my body contract.

I pop up gasping for breath and my teeth chatter. I quickly swim back to shore and basically jump out of the water. I run to get my things, but leave my jacket off. It would only get wet and make me even colder. I run behind a car and look around. There was no one in sight. I quickly light up my lumen and dry my shorts and body. The warmth welcomes me like an old friend and I smile.

On the way back, more people start to come out. Several girls walk by me and stare. Some giggle and others grin and wink which of course makes my face turn red. I was used to girls doing that back in Florida and to be honest, I was a bit of an arrogant guy, but after being with Sarah, it just makes me feel like a fool. I quickly jog back to the hotel and sneak back into the room.

The shower's running and Sarah's out of bed. I toss my shoes, sweatshirt, and shorts in the corner and go to knock on the door. Sarah's singing softly to herself which makes me grin. She had a beautiful voice. I knock on the door a couple times and ask to come in. I open it up and she sticks her face out of the curtain.

"Hey handsome," she says. I walk over and kiss her lips.

"Morning beautiful," I say. I get out my toothbrush and toothpaste and start to brush my teeth. Sarah goes back behind the curtain and continues her shower.

"How was your run?" she asks. I spit into the sink and tell her what I did.

"Oh, some girls were checking me out by the way, but none of them were even close to as perfect as you are." I can practically see her rolling her eyes at me. I chuckle to myself and rinse my mouth with water. "Nice singing by the way. You have an amazing voice. How come you never told me?" I ask. The shower stops and she sticks her hand out of the curtain.

"Towel? And A. You're a filthy liar B. Because I don't and C. Because I don't like to sing in front of people." I hand her the white towel hanging on the rack and wait for her to step out of the shower. It's almost like a movie the way she gets out. The steam floats around her and her whole body is glowing. Her blue eyes really pop out and look like the Caribbean ocean. She grabs another towel and puts her hair up.

"John, can you not stare at me like that? You're such a guy," Sarah says and swats at my arm. She shoves me out of the bathroom so she can get changed so I walk over to Six's room and knock on the door.

When she opens it up, her hair is in a messy bun, she has on a black tank top, some blue boxers with ducks on them, and is wearing black socks. I bite my lip to keep from busting out laughing.

"What do you want, Four?" she asks obviously annoyed that I woke her up.

Before I can resist I ask, "Well, I was just wondering if I could borrow your ducky boxers sometime," and bust out laughing.

Then after a door slammed in my face, I crawl back to my room holding my, now very sore and most likely bleeding, groin. When I get in and collapse on the floor Sarah looks down at me and asks what happened.

"Let's just say, if you know what's good for you, never make fun of Six. I don't think I'll be able to have kids anymore."

**Hope you liked it(: WARNING: My next chapter most likely will NOT be out by the weekend. I have school off Tuesday so maybe I can get it down then, but I can't work on it this weekend. It'll be out either next Monday or maybe Tuesday(: Hopefully, Tuesday! Anyhow, I thought I got some good John/Sarah in here. Next chapter: Six/Sam! :D But, it's definitely not going to be romantic AT ALL yet. They have to hate each other first ;) Anyhow, R&R!**


	10. Another Side Of Six

**Okay so I told you this one was gonna be late! Sorry! But good news is that I don't have soccer practice this week so I can write more! YAY(: But here's my tenth chapter(: Oh, and I really appreciate the reviews from joro3(: Please review because even if I don't answer, I read them all and they're very much appreciated!**

**Warning: This one has a lot of cussing in it because there's a lot of fighting. Don't think I'm a bad kid for writing it, I'm just thinking like teenage kid on the run who's scared out of their mind and in love while trying to protect themselves, their best friend, their mortal enemy at the moment, and true love ;)**

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><p>"Well, I was just wondering if I could borrow your ducky boxers sometime," he says and starts laughing like the asshole he is. So, with one kick to the groin and a door to the face, I walk away rather proud of myself. How dare he come knock on my door, wake me up, and then insult my duck boxers! It's only been a few days and I already want to hit him, but I can't shake the feeling of needing to keep him safe; of needing to protect him and know he's okay.<p>

I turn the lights off and crawl back into bed. I glance at the clock and see it's 8:30 for the love of God! Four can be such an idiot sometimes... no, most of the time. I pull the covers back over my head and am about to drift off when there's a soft knock at my door. Groaning I get up and rip the door open.

"What?" I yell. Sam puts one hand up in innocence and pinch the bridge of my nose. "Sorry, Four's already bothered me one too many times today. What do you want?"

"Well, I was going to show John that I figured out some stuff on Henri's computer, but when I went to knock I heard some groaning and Sarah giggling so I decided against it…" he says and his face turns a light shade of pink. I laugh and tell him what happened as I open up the door for him. He gives me a lopsided grin which gives my stomach butterflies and- whoa, okay back up, rewind, I did _not _just say that!

Sam's more annoying than Four! All he does is complain, eat like a pig, and refuses to wake up in the morning. I'm just happy I didn't have to drive with him here. I feel like I would have shot myself before the Mogs even got to me.

Immediately I scowl at him from behind and get a hold of myself. I lay across my bed as he sits down on the floor with his back to the mattress. I look over his shoulder at the computer as he explains what he found out.

"Okay, so I've messed with the programs he has set up for a driver's license, an ID, birth certificate, passport…" Sam says and continues to ramble on about all of the legal documents Henri had set up. As much as I hated him right now, and I had to give him credit, he was pretty good with the tech stuff. I'm pretty skilled with computers considering I used them to hunt Four down for two years, but even _I _couldn't handle this stuff. The boy was a genius! Not that I'd ever admit it to him…

"Well, good. Have you started on ID's and everything yet?" I ask. He shakes his head and turns to face me.

"No, I wanted to ask you first for our ages and everything."

"Well, first of all you and Sarah shouldn't even be with us. You're _humans_. It's not supposed to work this way…" I grumble to myself. Sam just shakes his head at me.

"I'm not going anywhere and neither is Sarah. Did you even read the letter Henri gave to John? I'm finding out more about my dad and as for Sarah, let's just say if you want John to be more than just a fat grumpy lump, then she stays too. He loves her," he says. I open my mouth. What letter? And holy shit, he _loves _her? I thought that the nine of us were supposed to mate with each other unless… oh hell no.

I jump up and run across the hall to Four's room and pound on the door. He had _a lot _of explaining to do.

"I'm only talking to you if you're here to apolo-" he starts, but I push him aside and go over to the desk where his guardian's stuff was sprawled out. Sarah's on the bed watching TV, but now has her attention fixed on me.

I find the letter and scan it over before screaming with rage. "Four! We're supposed to mate with a _human_? And you decided _not _to tell me? I thought that was ruled out a long time ago? Oh, and so now we have to take care of two humans because you fell in love with one and the other has a dad who helps aliens! Thanks for keeping me in the loop!" I yell at him. My fists are clenched and I feel my Legacies taking over. Calm down Six, calm down…

"Well, I _was _going to talk to you about it this morning until you decided, 'Hey, I'm gonna take away John's chances of having children today!' And it's not my fault I fell in love with her! Sorry I can't just pick and choose which girl I fall in love with whether she's an alien or not! And if you noticed, there's not many to choose from considering there's six of us left and we don't even know where the other numbers are!" I stare at him with icy eyes and cross my arms tightly.

Yes, I'm being a bitch, but I'm being completely rational! Four can't just go and have a happy little family on Earth. He has responsibilities to his own planet as well as this one and I'm not going to let him just think he can do anything he wants.

"Four, what happens when we find the others? Hiding four people is enough, but say we find the other four. They might still have Cêpans or they can decide to be idiots like you and bring along freaking liabilities!"

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><p>"Four, what happens when we find the others? Hiding four people is enough, but say we find the other four. They might still have Cêpans or they can decide to be idiots like you and bring along freaking liabilities!" she screeches. I clench my jaw and shake my head at her.<p>

"Six I think you need to leave. Go calm the fuck down and come talk to me when you can speak to me without yelling," I growl. My eyes are like daggers into her body and thankfully, she storms out the door while Sam ushers to her room. Poor kid is gonna get himself killed. I hear her slam the door as she starts yelling again. I glance over at my door I use my Legacy to shut it quietly.

I flop on to the bed and groan into my pillow. I'm being hunted down by vicious aliens, my parents are dead, my closest resemblance to family is dead, I'm trying to find four other kids that are supposed to help save the world who are currently in hiding all over the world, I'm in love with a human, I'm best friends with a human, I'm trying to protect two people who I care about more than anyone else in the world, I'm forced to work with the most obnoxious person in the universe, and I'm supposed to save the world. My life rocks.

I hear the TV click off and movement beside me. I turn my face to the left and see Sarah's staring back at me. "John? What are you thinking right now?" she asks softly. Her voice is like a little girl's, sounding guilty like she broke one of her mom's favorite vases. I give her a small smile.

"You know, the usual. Just about how my life is awesome right now," I say. She gives me a tiny fraction of a smile before looking down at the sheets and playing with them in her hands. I tilt my head and look at her with pleading eyes. "Sarah, stop it. You have nothing to feel bad about. None of this is your fault nor will any of it ever be."

"I know, but I just feel like there's so much pressure on you and I'm making it worse," she mumbles and looks down at the sheets. I can hear the pain in her voice and I then see how much she truly cares about me. My chest gets warm and I feel like my heart is melting when I hit this realization. With a loving touch, I tilt her chin up with my thumb and look her in the eyes. With my other hand, I gently tuck a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Love, if anything, you're making it so much easier. Whenever I see you, I know that you're safe and you're here with me. When I fall asleep at night, I know that you're safe in my arms and that you're all mine. And just now, I realized how much you care about me which makes me feel like flying. I love you Sarah and I'll love you up until the day the world ceases to exist."

Sarah grins and pulls me towards her. Her hands rub my neck softly and she puts her forehead on mine. "That's easy for you to say. You could go back to Lorien and Earth could blow up," she teases.

"Well then I'll love you until the day that I die."

"Then that better be for a very long time."

I can't help but look away when she says this. Sarah notices my facial expression and starts to shake her head very slightly. "John, you're not dying anytime soon. I won't let you. You can't die. John, I can't love anyone else besides you and I'm never going to be able to. I'm going to love you until the day there's no more fighting, no more crying, and no more dying. I'm going to love you forever and there's not a damn thing you're going to do about it."

I see the tears forming in her eyes as I swiftly lean in and kiss her. The kiss was the most passionate thing I've ever felt. So many emotions pass through my lips to hers. Pain, sorrow, love, fear, determination, longing… they were all present. She holds on to my neck like a life raft and locks her legs around my waist. I pull her hips towards me and kiss down her neck towards her collarbone. My lips travel back up to hers and I kiss the soft spot on her neck behind her ear before whispering comforting words of my love to her.

My lips find their way back to hers and our tongues tangle with each other. I close my eyes and run my hands down her back, towards her waist, caressing every curve she has. After a few minutes we break apart and breathe deeply. All I can do is stare into her eyes and despite everything else in my life right now, think about how lucky I am to hold her, kiss her, have her, and love her.

"I love you, John."

"I love you too, Sarah. Forever."

* * *

><p>I let my hair down and hang the damp hotel towel up on the rack in the bathroom. Showers always seemed to help cool me down after a fight or just anything that pissed me off. I sigh and look at myself in the bathroom mirror. In the most modest way, my face was perfect. High cheek bones, sea blue eyes, gorgeous blonde hair, straight white teeth, plump red lips, and just the right amount of tan to my skin.<p>

My body, despite my scars, cuts, and bruises, was beautiful as well. I had perfect curves, a well toned stomach, slender yet muscular legs, and an overall glow to my body. I've had men falling to their knees wanting me, but I've never felt anything. I always thought I would fall in love with a Lorien, but after reading John's letter, I can't help but feel empty.

Why did John have to go fall in love with Sarah? Things would be so much easier if he had just fallen in love with one of us… I admit, he's very hot, but the thought of us together makes my stomach churn. How are we supposed to repopulate Lorien if we're meant to fall in love with a human? Why didn't she ever tell me?

I think of her, my Cêpan, as I'm pulling on my clothes and smile to myself. It's a sad smile, filled of regret, pain, and guilt. I should've never let her go…

"_Six! They're coming! Get in the car, now!" she yelled. I start to disagree, but the look in her eyes tells me that there won't be any resisting her. _

"_I'll be fine. I promise," she says and looks at me with eyes full of sadness. I nod and run to the car and start the engine just before the Mogs bust through the door._

"_No!" I scream with tears streaming down my face. They stab her before she even has the chance to turn around and face them. I see her mouth three simple words before she drops to her knees and is lost in a blue glow. _

_I floor the car and drive into the three of them crashing it into a wall. Without hesitation, I jump out with rage killing them all within minutes. _

_I toss the knife aside and kneel to where she was last kneeling and cry for what seems to be forever. When my tears run out, they're replaced with complete and total lust for blood. Lust for killing those responsible for her death. Lust for revenge…_

I curl up next to the counter and let my tears fall in puddles on the cold tile floor. I cry for her, the only thing I've ever loved in my life. I cry for myself, stuck in this hellhole and stupid prophecy I have to fulfill. I cry for John, having to risk two people he cares the most about every day. I cry for Sarah, having to love someone who could die at any instant. Finally, I cry for Sam, a boy whose life was taken from him at an early age, who had to live everyday thinking his father was insane, who had to think he was crazy.

I don't hear the door open or feel the arms around me that I want to fight off so much until his shirt is soaked with tears. I pound lightly on his chest beckoning him to leave me alone, but it only makes him hold me tighter. I hear his soothing words in my ear, but I can't place whose words they are. I feel the softness of my pillow and bed. I feel the sheets falling on top of me. I feel his warmth start to fade, so I grab his shirt and pull him close.

"Don't leave me alone," I whimper. I feel a soft kiss on my forehead and the bed creak. Then I feel the warmth surround me again.

"Never," he whispers into my ear. After that, I fall into a deep world of blackness and silence.

When I wake up, my eyes are sore and weak from crying. I'm tucked in my bed, alone. I thrash around quickly and look around the room. I'm alone. I breathe a sigh of relief. Hopefully everything was a dream and no one saw me, well… weak. I lean my elbow on the other pillow, but it crinkles. I look over and see a hotel note with black ink scribbled on it.

_Six,_

_I figured it'd be best if I was gone when you woke up. I figured that you were high or something yesterday for you to say something like that to me. I know how you are. I promise I won't tell anyone what happened. And before you get too mad, I was only trying to help. Hope you're feeling better._

_Sam_

I stare at the name at the bottom of the note. _Sam. _Oh God… not Sam. Anyone, but Sam! I crush the paper in my hand and throw it at the wall. I'm filled with anger, rage, pure malignancy, but… I feel the mysterious butterflies in my stomach again. I wish they'd go away, but they won't. I know exactly why they won't, but I can't bring myself to admit the truth yet. I refuse to do it. Still… I know I should thank him.

I put on a clean tank top and walk over to his room. I take a deep breath and knock on the door. I hear a click and he opens the door. He's wearing Superman boxers and black socks. Sam rubs one eye and yawns. I glance inside and see the clock reads 11:30. Crap.

"Oh, damn. Sorry I forgot to see what time it was…" I say, but drift off and catch myself looking at his body. The kid looks really thin and wiry, but really his body isn't too bad. I can see the defined areas where muscle is building and check out his abs. They're slightly visible through his slim figure, but honestly big muscles didn't appeal to me at the moment…

I shake my head and thank God that he's oblivious to about everything.

"It's okay," he slurs and yawns again. I rub my arms due to the goose bumps forming on them and hug myself.

"Jesus, it's like an icebox in your room," I say and he gives me that cute lopsided grin. Wait- stop it, Six! Stop it, right now!

"I like it cold. But, uh, what is it that you need at 11:30 at night?" Sam asks me and raises an eye brow. I snap back into the conversation and mumble a few words.

"Oh, uh, I just… uh… I wanted to thank you for yesterday. It was really nice of you," I mutter and don't look at him at all. He's silent for a few seconds so I steal a glance up at him. He scratches his chin and just nods at me.

"Anytime. And before you threaten me, no, I won't tell John or Sarah or anyone else. It never happened," Sam says. I notice a small glint of sadness in his eye and a spot of pain in his voice.

Before I can stop myself I reply, "I never said that." He snaps his head up and looks at me in disbelief. I turn red and quickly say goodnight before rushing back to my room leaving him shocked and confused.

I shut the door and fall against it. What the hell is happening to me?

**So… I lied. It was kind of romantic between Six/Sam. OH WELL. ;) Sorry this took so long, but I have a free weekend so the next chapter will definitely be out(: REVIEW PLEASE. I love all of them! **

**Until next time,**

**-Marisa**


	11. Rooftops

**I've decided to move things along this chapter so they start getting on their way to finding the others! And for the future, I may or may not use some of the qualities that the other numbers posses from The Power of Six! I'll try to keep it close though(: So here's 11(:**

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><p>After being rudely awakened by Six's yelling and pounding on the door, dragging Sam out of bed, eating a crappy hotel breakfast, and packing everything up, we're on the road. Again. This time we've decided to head further south towards the Georgia coastline. Six and I both agreed that we felt pulled more towards the coast more than anywhere else.<p>

I can't explain it. It's like I start walking one way, but then without realizing it I'm walking the other way. I feel like I don't need a map at all to know where we're going. I can tell Six does too. Things are easing up between us due to the fact that we're agreeing on almost everything like when to move, where we're heading, what to pay attention to, what to research, and most importantly what our plan is at the moment. And we've stopped screaming at each other, well, for the most part.

We've decided that for right now it's best that we just do what we feel. Georgia feels right. Well, more like Savannah. We just drove until we found a nice place to stay on Tybee Island **(A/N: Yeah, I did my research!)**. It felt wrong to drive through Savannah and not stay there, but we knew we had to stay off the radar. But one thing is for sure; Six and I both feel that a Number is in Savannah.

"Okay, so they only have two rooms left. They're suites so each has a pull-out couch, but there's only one bed. So, I think Sam and Four get one room and Sarah and I get the other," Six says. Sarah obviously looks uncomfortable and I know Six will probably kill her if they share a room.

"No, I'm sleeping with Sarah," I say. Six rolls her eyes at me as if to say 'Really?' I return her gesture with a glare.

"Unless you want me coming into your room every night just to go to bed with her, I suggest you let us sleep in the same room," I state. Six groans and throws her hands up.

Sam laughs and adds, "Yeah, and you'll have to hear them talk about all their lovey-dovey crap. And let me tell you, John sounds like he's reciting lines from a cheesy 80's movie. 'Sarah, darling, you're like the spoon to my soup. Without you, I cannot eat, I cannot-'" I shove Sam over while he and Six start laughing. He's rolling on his back laughing like a maniac and Six is just clutching her stomach. It's nice to hear Six genuinely laugh for once. I see Sarah smiling and stifling laughter. I raise my eyebrow at her and nudge her to the side before grinning.

"Okay, okay. You guys share a room. I'll share with, uh, Sam," Six says still recovering from laughing, but turns to face Sam and says, "You're sleeping on the couch." Sam shrugs and grabs his bag. Six hands us the keys quickly and turns away with a slight blush on her face. She sees me looking at her and blushes even more while quickening her pace to get away from us. Why would Six be blushing? It's not like she… oh, no way. This is too good to be true. I smile widely and shake my head.

"What are you smiling about?" Sarah asks and furrows her brow while watching Six walk away. I just grab her hand and lead her towards the elevator. I stand behind her with my back against the elevator wall and put my arms around her waist. She places her hands on top of mine and strokes them softly with her thumbs.

I kiss her head before whispering, "I'll tell you when we get to our room." She simply nods and leans back against me. I breathe in her perfume and crumble inside. Just the smell of her makes me woozy.

We get off at the top floor and find our rooms. Sarah and I find the one with the gold numbers _408 _bolted to the white door. I slide the key in and walk into the room. There's a bathroom to the right, a couch to the left which is facing a TV, and the king sized bed just ahead. I put Henri's stuff on the table in front of the couch and unpack my things. I have an odd issue with hanging and folding all of my clothes while normal people would just leave them in their suitcases. But then again, I'm the farthest thing away from normal.

"So, I think Six has a thing for Sam," I say and chuckle. Sarah spins around with her mouth open.

"No! I don't believe it!" she says with wide eyes. I simply nod and tell her what I saw in the lobby. "Well, if the old prophecy about you guys falling in love with humans is true, they'd definitely be the most unpredictable," she says. I nod and finish unpacking.

Sarah decides to take a shower since we had no time this morning. I watch TV for a few minutes until I find myself looking out the window. The sun was going down and the reflection on the water was gorgeous. Intrigued, I slide a key in my pocket and walk out the door. I look both ways down the hallway and slink across to the roof access. Using my Legacy, I unbolt it and climb the stairs to the roof.

When I open the door, warm air greets my skin. I unbutton my white shirt and let the sides blow against me in the breeze. I walk down the steps onto the roof and sit near the edge of the roof closest to the ocean. I can see the surf hitting the pier, couples walking hand-in-hand on the sand, kids flying kites, vendors selling hot dogs and hamburgers, and fisherman sitting on the rails of the pier. It sends a strange sensation to my heart.

I look out towards the horizon. The sun is gradually going down and its colors are reflecting on the water. The pinks and oranges and yellows and even purples… they make me feel like I'm home. Maybe it's because I spent such a long time in Florida that I think this is home, maybe it's not. I just can't seem to piece it together. I wish I had a camera though. I bet Sarah would be able to take a beautiful picture of this.

I think I could marry Sarah. I could settle down and forget all about everything, but I know that it'll never happen. I have a duty to my planet and Earth. I have a duty to the other Numbers. I have a duty the other Cêpans. I have a duty to the other humans. I have a duty to Sam and Sarah and whoever else the others fall in love with. I have a duty to myself.

I reach into my back pocket and pull out a piece of paper. It's Henri's second letter. I had been waiting for some time alone to read it and now couldn't be more perfect.

_Dear John,_

_Hopefully you read my last letter. I want to talk to you about your family. Well, your father was very brave and powerful. His name was Liren. He loved you very much. You were his pride and joy honestly. Even though I was supposed to be there most of the time, he couldn't stay away from you. You resemble all of him except the eyes. You have your mother's gorgeous blue eyes. Her name was Lara. I knew her very well and she certainly helped balance out your father's personality. He was reserved and shy, but your mom was always laughing, telling jokes, playing pranks, and practically being a kid. She loved you so much. _

_Your parents were best friends with one of the Numbers. I can't recall her number, but she was wild and had curly blonde hair. She has the power of the elements and to turn invisible. You two were best friends. Your parents used to joke that you would fall in love, but I doubt that now. Their names were Arun and Lyn I believe. Ask the others and see if they know. I'm sorry to leave you with this, but there's not much more concerning your family that I haven't already explained to you in person. Stay strong, John. I will always believe in you._

_Henri_

I look ahead and fold the letter back up. I slide it into my pocket and simply rest my arms on my knees gazing at the sky.

"How'd I guess you'd be up here?" a voice asks me. I continue to look ahead intently at the sun.

"Maybe because we just think alike," I say and glance over at her. Six is now sitting beside me wearing a white T-shirt, a pair of jeans, and has her hair down. She too is mesmerized by the sun. She nods and looks are her bare feet below her knees.

"John, do you feel this?" she asks. I smile at her softly.

"You called me John." Six shrugs and looks at me waiting for an answer as I turn back towards the ocean. "And yeah, I do feel it. I felt like we should've stopped in Savannah. I know we needed to get out of the city, but I know there's another Number here. It's either that or… I don't know. I feel like I'm… home."

Six looks back towards the horizon. I can tell she's thinking hard about something. I feel like she's debating whether or not to ask me something. I decide to break the silence before she has a chance to speak.

"Six, do you remember what your parents' names were?" I ask. With my peripheral vision I see that she looks taken aback, but thinks for a moment.

"Arun and Lyn, I think. Why?" she asks. I smile to myself and tell her about the letter. We end up talking about Henri and her Cêpan, Julianne. We finally make the connection about how they were married and talk about what is must have been like for them to have parted.

"Well, I'm hungry. I'm gonna go get some food. Wanna come?" Six asks. I politely shake my head no and she leaves me alone. I smile to myself and think about Henri. I know that he and Julianne are probably with each other now, at peace, protecting us. That thought brings a gentle warmness to my heart. I silent tear falls down my cheek, but I brush it away quickly.

"John, where have you been? Do you not answer your phone at all?" I turn around and see Sarah walking towards me. I hold my hand out for her and she takes it in her own. I lead her to sit down and pull her onto my lap. I wrap my arms around her and lay my head on her shoulder. Her hand reaches around and runs her fingers through my hair. I rock back and forth softly. I kiss her neck and put my chin on her shoulder.

"I'm going to marry you, Sarah. When everything is over and the world is safe, I'm going to marry you and we're going to live here. I want to walk on the beach with you, play in the water, and surf on the pier. I want to be here with you until I die. We can have kids and they can grow up here. A little boy and girl. I want them to have a home like I never did, a home like you had. I want to be with you forever," I say. She turns her head and plants a soft lingering kiss on my lips.

"I'll hold you to that," she says and kisses me once more. She leans back against me and I put my hands on top of hers, linking our fingers together. It couldn't be more perfect than it was right now.

When it starts to get dark, we sneak back down the exit and into our room. I have another dream about Henri that night. We walk and talk in the same meadow as before. I tell him about his letter and how Six and I were getting along. He told me how proud he was of me and how sorry he was that he couldn't be there. I told him I was sorry about Julianne and asked how she was. Henri said she was well and that it was good to have her back.

I slept well knowing that Henri was happy and still looking after me.

* * *

><p>I left John upstairs and ran into Sarah right as I was walking down the stairs. "Hey Six, you wouldn't know where John is would you?" she asks. I nod and tell her that he's upstairs. She gives me a small smile before continuing up the stairs.<p>

When I walk in, Sam is as I left him: sleeping. That's all he ever does. I turn off the TV and gently wake him up. He bolts up and falls off the couch before muttering a string of curse words beneath his breath. "So, John and Sarah are in for the night. You wanna get something to eat?" I ask and shove my hands in my pockets awkwardly. Sam's face practically lights up.

"Sure! I'm starving. You wanna find a place at the beach?" he asks before giving me that lopsided grin that makes my legs wobble. I agree and slide on some sandals. I grab my wallet and sunglasses before walking towards Sam.

"Ready?" I ask. He nods and we walk out the door.

When we get outside, it's completely silent except for the sound of crashing waves. It's peaceful and makes me smile to myself. Sam and I walk along the sidewalk until we come across a restaurant sitting on the sand. Sam holds the door for me and we walk to the front.

"Hello, welcome to _Coco's. _Table for two?" the waiter asks. He smiles at me and gives me a small nod so naturally I blush madly. He's really attractive, but I feel Sam's anger start to come off. Without thinking, I reach over and grab his hand.

"Yes, my boyfriend and I here for our one year anniversary," I say and look at Sam. His mouth is open, but he immediately shuts it when I look at him. The waiter shifts uncomfortably and looks down.

"Would you like to dine on the beach or inside?" he asks. Sam and I both say 'beach' without hesitation. He leads us to our seats and walks away obviously upset. Sam just stares at me before I look up from my menu.

"What?" I ask innocently. I slide my sandals off and run my toes through the sand. The setting was gorgeous. Our table as well as about nine others is sitting on a sand dune which drops off and goes towards the ocean. Palm trees are decorated with lights and there are flowers everywhere. A small candle lights our table.

"What was that about?" he asks. Quickly, I think of a response because honestly, I have no idea what that was about.

"The waiter… he was checking me out. I thought it would be funny to see his reaction."

"Oh." That's all Sam says before looking down at his menu. I realize now that it was the wrong thing to say. Damn…

After the waitress brings us our drinks, Sam and I make small talk.

"So, out of everywhere you've been, where's one place you'd want to go back to?" Sam asks me. I ponder the question and think back to all the homes I've ever had, but one in particular pops into my head.

"Italy. I had a beautiful house that overlooked the water and everything there was gorgeous. The people, the history, and not to mention the food, was all just amazing. I'd love to go back one day. Maybe after everything's over and Lorien is better," I say. I sip my drink and Sam looks me in the eyes. His warm, brown eyes melt my heart and he gives me a sad smile.

"So… you have to go back then? You and John?" he asks. I nod, but don't look him in the eyes. "It's not fair, S- I mean Jane. It's certainly not fair to Sarah after everything she's been through and it's not fair to me. I wanna go with you guys," he says. I snap my head up and look at his face. So many emotions are portrayed. Anger, jealousy, sadness, determination… and I can't even think about leaving Sam no matter how much I want to tell myself he doesn't matter. He does matter.

"Sam, we don't even know if you guys could breathe there," I say and look down.

"That's what oxygen helmets are for! Hell, my dad was there so why couldn't anyone else do it?" I can see the desire burning in his eyes. Honestly, it makes me want to… oh hell, it makes me want to kiss him. It makes me want to hold him and tell him how I feel even though I don't even know how I feel. All I know is I want him and as much as I hate to admit it to myself, I need him. I need Sam Goode.

"Sam," I whisper and start to lean towards him. He gently brushes a piece of hair off of my face and gulps. I give him a hint of a smile, not sure of what to do. He starts to lean forward, but I freeze. I look over his shoulder and spot a waiter collecting menus. He has jet black hair and is huge. His arms are cut as the rest of his body if I'm sure. He catches me eye and freezes as well. I immediately know who he is as soon as our eyes lock. My mouth drops. I found another Number.

**Hehe kinda cliffy, but you'll get over it! Sorry Sam and Six didn't kiss, but you'll just have to wait and see what happens! Hope you liked it(: Please review and tell me what you thought. Thanks!**


	12. Another Number

**Hehe I'm sorry to leave you with that, but it had to be done! Cause I'm evil… mwahahaha… anyhow so I thought that you guys might wanna check out the song that I was listening to the whole time I wrote the roof scene! It's called "This Is the Thing" by Fink. It's actually from Dear John when John (weird coincidence? I think not!) goes back for a second tour. Anyhow it's really good so you should listen to it! **

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><p><em>He has jet black hair and is huge. His arms are cut as the rest of his body if I'm sure. He catches my eye and freezes as well. I immediately know who he is as soon as our eyes lock. My mouth drops. I found another Number.<em>

"JOHN!" Six screeches into my ear. I grumble at her through the phone and look at the clock. It's only 9:30, but I'm tired and Sarah and I were already in bed by the time Six and Sam left.

"What? Jesus Christ! Don't scream in my ear! What's wrong?" I ask. There's a brief pause before she says the words that make me bolt straight up out of bed.

"I found another Number." I don't believe my ears. I knew it though! I knew there was a Number in Savannah!

"Where are you?" I ask as I begin to get dressed. Sarah's now propped up on her elbows staring at me. I motion for her to get dressed and she does so.

"This place called _Coco's Sunset Grille _on the beach. It's by the pier on 15th Street. Hurry up because he sees me too. I haven't gone up to him or anything yet, but I think he's freaked. Hurry, John. I feel like he's gonna bolt as soon as he gets the chance." _Click. _

I quickly pull a white V-neck over my head and slide on some black board shorts. I toss Sarah her shirt that had mysteriously ended up on the floor and put my phone and the room key in my pocket. I grab Sarah's hand and practically yank her out the door as soon as she's dressed.

"John, what's wrong? Did something bad happen?" Sarah asks as we run down the stairs.

"Six thinks she found another Number." She says nothing, but instead increases her speed and we're soon outside. We're right outside the pier so it shouldn't take too long to get there, especially since I can run.

"Sarah, get on my back," I say. She gives me a questioning look, but I urge her on. I grab her legs from behind and make sure her arms are locked around my neck.

"Hold on," I say. I start sprinting and realize how well my morning runs have paid off. Due to the fact that I'm holding Sarah, it makes it harder for me, but we're there in literally seconds. I let her down and she gives me a dazed expression. I grab her hand and pull her close so she has support.

"Well, that's cool," she whispers. I laugh and we walk in the doors. I frantically look around the restaurant, but there's no sight of them. I walk up to the receptionist's desk.

"Hi. Is there other seating than in here?" I ask politely. The guy nods and says there's seating out back. I thank him and rush out the front door again with Sarah's hand still in mine. Mine's sweating and my mind is racing. Sarah squeezes mine in reassurance, but I just need to see him in person. I don't know what I'll do if we get there and he's gone.

As soon as I turn the corner I see Six's blonde hair and Sam's head snaps up as he waves us over. Six quickly whips her head around and glances to her right. I look over and my eyes just seem to fall on him. He's probably about 6' 2" from the looks of it. This guy's huge! He has dark black hair and a square face. His nose is slightly crooked like it had been broken before and he has green eyes. I notice that he's the only one wearing pants here.

At that moment his head turns around and he looks up at me. Our eyes lock and I know that it's him. I continue to stare at him as he walks away. When he walks in, he pulls out his phone and dials a number before looking back to see if I was still there.

"John! Did you see him?" Six whisper-yells at me. I nod in response. We walk over to them and as a group we start to walk inside. I see him slip out the door before we have a chance to confront him.

"He's gone! Six go invisible and try to cut him off wherever he's headed. I'll stall him." With that we take off and leave Sarah and Sam outside the restaurant. He's walking into the side parking lot talking on his phone in a panicked voice. I concentrate and listen to the conversation from several yards away behind a car.

"Yeah, Patrick… look, I know what I saw! It's them! They're here! No, I'm not making stuff up! Would I ever joke about the Mogs? Look, I'm serious. I'm on my way. Bye." His voice has a certain scratchiness to it and the slightest Italian accent.

I had no idea what to do, so I stepped out from behind the car and yelled at him. "Hey! I need to talk to you for a second," I say and start walking towards him. He turns to face me and puts his phone in his pocket.

"Look, you can't do anything to me. The charm hasn't been broken. You still have to kill Four before you get to me so piss off," he says and turns away. I catch his arm with my hand before he can walk away. Damn, his arms are huge! In one motion he shakes me off of him and gets ready to throw a punch, but not before I raise my hand and let my Lumen glow.

"Put your hand down. I am Number Four and if you try to do anything else, Six over there is gonna kick your ass." He turns around and sure enough Six pops out at him and gives him a girly wave and smile before crossing her arms and staring him down. I snort at her as he looks at Six then back at me before slowly lowering his arm.

"Holy shit, couldn't you have just started with that? You scared the hell out of me! But… can I see your scars, just so I know I'm not being bullshitted?" he asks. I turn my leg so he can see my marking as well as pulling my pendant out from under my shirt while Six does the same. He in turn shows us both of his.

"I'm John and I prefer that, but you can call me Four. That's Six, but her cover name is Jane. Sarah and Sam should be here in a couple seconds. I just texted them," I say and reach my hand out to shake his hand. He firmly shakes my hand before turning to Six.

"So who are you?" Six asks.

"I am Number Five, but I go by Kyle since I haven't been with any other Numbers before," he says. I chuckle to myself and he raises an eyebrow.

"Sorry, but Kyle doesn't sound that Italian," I say.

"Oh, I'm not Italian, but I grew up there and it kind of just stuck." Just then, Sarah and Sam come walking around the corner. "More Numbers?" he asks. I shake my head no and he frowns slightly in disappointment.

"Sarah's my girlfriend and Sam's my best friend. His dad was one of the people who met us when we first landed on Earth. He's missing so Sam's looking for him," I explain. Kyle shifts a little from one foot to the other while shoving his hands in his pockets and looks down.

"So… no offense, but why's your girlfriend with us?" he asks. Sarah reaches down and takes my hand and I smile at her.

"Because I brought her into all this crap, she got attacked by Mogs, and I'm in love with her. Trust me, if she wasn't here, I'd be about as useful as a guitar with no strings. You can only beat people up with it, but soon enough it'll break. But, do you have a Cêpan?" I ask. Kyle nods.

"Yeah, his name is Patrick. Don't you?" Six and I both reply no quietly. There's a few seconds of silence before Kyle speaks up again.

"I'll drive you guys to our apartment in Savannah. Patrick will want to meet you guys." We all pile in his truck with Kyle and me in the front and Sarah, Sam, and Six in the back. It took about 10 minutes to get there and Kyle explained all about where he had been, what he had seen, and if he had gotten any useful information.

When we get there, Patrick is already packing everything up. He looks up as we walk in and looks taken aback. "Kyle, who are these people?" he asks.

"John, Jane and their friends. More importantly, they're Number Four and Six," he says. Patrick looks at us again before breaking into a wide grin. Something about him looks strangely familiar, but I just can't figure out what it is. Probably just because I've seen him in my memories before.

"I never thought I'd live to see another Number, let alone two. I'm Patrick, Kyle's, uh, I mean, Five's Cêpan," he says and shakes each of our hands. We introduce ourselves and he smiles at us for a moment before a horrific look strikes Kyle's face.

"Wait! This means… that the charm has been broken! Shit!" he yells. "Why'd you come?" The color has drained from his face, but Patrick puts a hand on his shoulder to calm him down.

"Look, Six tracked me down about four weeks ago. It's been too long that we've been sitting on our asses doing nothing or moving from place to place. Our legacies are starting to develop and my Cêpan Henri," I say as I glance at Patrick, "or you might know him as Brandon, told me once that if we all come together, the stronger we will become." Patrick's face looks solemn and Kyle nods in response.

"So, Brandon's dead then?" he asks. I nod with a clenched jaw.

"Did you know him well?" I ask. Patrick smiles sadly at me before saying something I never thought I'd hear.

"Brandon was my brother." My mouth drops open as my eyes go wide. I could see the resemblance now. The same hazel eyes, the same smile, and even the same face shape. It's like Henri was standing right in front of me right now.

"Why… why didn't he ever tell me?" I ask. My eyes are starting to get glassy and I beg myself not to let a tear slip off my face, not in front of anyone besides Sarah. I turn around and pace towards the door with my hands over my nose and mouth. I place my hands on my hips and look down.

How could he have never told me? He never told me about his brother, a little about his wife, and he tells me about my family through a letter? That man was far more complicated than I even imagined.

"Four, uh John, I hadn't been able to contact him in over 12 years. I'm sure he was more preoccupied with keeping you safe rather than telling you about his whole life's history. Don't be too hard on him, okay?" he says. I simply lift my head up and nod at the door. I sniff and subtly rub my face to get rid of any tear marks before turning around.

"Uh, anyhow… what's the plan from here?" I ask without looking him directly in the eyes. I hear him clear his throat and begin to speak, but I don't hear anything he says. My mind is on Henri and only Henri. I feel so cold and empty like a glass jar; you can fill me up with anything, but I can't hide what's inside. I feel a hand on my shoulder, guessing it's Sarah's, but turn around and see Six giving me a sympathetic look. I simply nod at her and stare out the window.

The plan is that we're going to Spain, where Patrick and Kyle think another Number is. They had used a tracking stone from Kyle's Loric Chest to find one of them. They had suspicions that I was Six, but now we're leaning on Seven, only because they're the next Number.

When it was 11:00, we said our goodbyes and Patrick gave us a lift back to the hotel. We had agreed to meet them at their apartment tomorrow at 10:00 so we could be at the airport by 10:15. Our flight to Spain was going to Atlanta at 12:00, and then at 2:00 it would go to Barcenlona. Patrick had already booked the tickets and a hotel for us to stay in. Six was reluctant to leave her Ducati behind, but managed to get over it before the end of the night.

Immediately after walking in the door, I fall onto the bed and shut my eyes. Sarah rolls me over though and tries to pull me up.

"No, sir. You're taking a shower. You were sweating and now you smell. I refuse to sleep with you if you don't get in the bathroom," she says and crosses her arms, but with a cocky grin.

"Fine. You can sleep on the couch then," I say as I take off my shirt. I lean against the bed with my arms behind my head and wait for her to give in.

"Fine. Goodnight, John," Sarah says. She pivots and goes to lie on the couch. Grinning, I turn the lights off and wait for her to come lay down next to me. Sadly, she doesn't move. I wait for a good five minutes before I get irritated and can't take it.

"Sarah!" I whine, drawing out her name. "Come to bed." I hear no response whatsoever. "Please?" Again, nothing. "Sarah, I'm so lonely!" I whine and she starts laughing at me.

"You know what you need to do!" she yells from under her blanket. Groaning, I turn the lights on and grumble to myself while I walk to the bathroom. I can hear her laughing to herself as I shut the door.

I quickly rinse off and put on extra soap just for her. In about five minutes, I'm out of the shower and drying my hair with a towel. I slip on a pair of blue boxers and brush my teeth. Finally, I come out and see that she's already in bed, grinning madly at me.

"I really don't get how I love you. You're so difficult all the time," I say and get in bed. I turn the lights off and scoot up close to her. Sarah turns so her head is on my chest and her legs are draped around mine. Her foot is gently rubbing my calf and her hand is placed delicately on my chest. I hear her breathe in deeply and I chuckle at her while shaking my head slightly.

"Much better," she says. I can almost see her blue eyes gazing up at me in the dark. I lean down to kiss her, but kiss her on the nose instead of the mouth. I feel her lean up and practically hover over my chest. "I think you missed," Sarah murmurs before gently cupping my face in her hands and guiding my lips towards hers. I smile into her kiss and pull her even closer to my body.

My hands lightly roam over her back, sides, and hips. I move her shirt up so I can place my hands on the bare sides of her stomach. I feel her shiver from the new air that passes of her abdomen. I light my hands up and she squirms with small fits of giggles.

"I'm not tickling you, am I Sarah?" I ask evilly with a sly grin. She continues to laugh and pushes my arms away. She lays on top of me breathing deeply. Soon, she pushes herself up so that she's completely on top of me and her face is inches from mine. Sarah reaches her hand up and traces the many scars on my face and head with her thumb. I turn my head slightly to get a better look at her through the moonlight.

"You're beautiful," I whisper. She has no response, but continues tracing my scars. Then she speaks softly.

"I'm so lucky to have you, John. I feel lucky to know you, to see you, to be with you, to love you. You know you're my world, right?" I nod. I pull the covers over both of us and wrap my arms around her waist.

"You're my life. If anything ever happens to you, I'll blame myself. If anything ever goes wrong… I won't be able to live with myself. Just promise me one thing?" I ask her gently. Sarah kisses my lips sweetly and barely touches her forehead to mine.

"Anything."

"If I'm not there to protect you, please stay safe. I need you to be safe. Henri went on his whole life with me still in love with his wife. He went on like that for 12 years. Sarah, if you die… I just… I can't lose you. I can't be that strong. I can't live like that in pain every day," I say as I begin to choke up. I can see her eyes welling up with tears too. Her hands a running through my hair and pulling me as close as she can. Sarah is nodding to me the whole time.

"I'm never going to leave you, John. No matter what. Remember what you said to me? We're going to get married and have a happy life here. No one and nothing is going to take that away. I love John, and I will until life ceases to exist."

"I love you too. Forever and ever."

**I hope you enjoyed that(: Sorry I can't help myself, but I HAVE to have John/Sarah scenes in every chapter! It's just necessary for me to keep writing! Hehehe… so tell me what you think!**


	13. As She Crumbles Like A Wall

**I hope you liked my last chapter! It's really weird to me that I'm already on 13! Just as a side note, I think I'm gonna start writing a Maximum Ride fanfic soon so if you happen to like MR, I'll let you know on my next update when it comes out! I hope you'll review, rate, and add to your favorites! And as a reminder, I know Six's Cêpan's name is Katarina, but I wanted her and John to have a special connection with their guardians!**

**PS: Six/Sam fans, I feel like you'll enjoy this chapter ;)**

* * *

><p>To be honest, John looked devastated. His eyes were red, his throat was scratchy, and he turned around so no one could see him. I felt a twang in my heart for John. I know how hard it is to lose someone you care about so much. That's why I put a comforting hand on his shoulder when he finally turned around. I could tell he was thanking me in a way that didn't need to be expressed through words.<p>

As of now, I'm in the shower thinking everything over. We're flying to Spain; Barcelona, Spain, and supposedly we're supposed to try and find another Number there. I mean, John and I worked together to figure out where Nine was, but somehow I don't think it'll be that easy this time. We have three Numbers, two of which have been agreeing most of the time (eh hem, John and I), and three humans where only one knows what the hell they're doing. Then there are Sam and Sarah. Sarah's not going anywhere, for sure. If we want John to be more than an alien lump, she stays.

Then there's Sam Goode. I swallow the lump in my throat as I think about him. I small smile is playing across my lips and I can't help, but laugh a little to myself. I've known him for less than four weeks and I already… never mind. I can't risk letting my feelings get in the way of our mission. It's too important. But… let's just say Sam stays, too.

There's a knock at the door. I stick my head out of the shower curtain and unlock the door with my mind. "Come in! It's open!" I yell. Sure enough, Sam comes walking through the door without a shirt on. Jesus Christ! For a small lanky kid like him, he can sure put some muscle on. I can see the well-toned abs he has despite his skinny appearance. Small muscles from his hidden six-pack are barely visible and his torso is also defined. I shake my head quickly so that he doesn't see me staring at him.

"What up?" I ask and go back into the hot water pouring from the shower head.

"I just wanted to let you know that the hotel is suing you for taking such long showers," he says. I snort and shut the water off. "Finally! How long does it take to shower? You were in there for a good forty-five minutes!" I reach my hand out of the curtains and ask for a towel. I feel the soft fabric touch my fingers as well as a brush of his own warm skin. I shiver in response and wrap the towel around my body. I step out of the shower and put a towel up for my hair as well. Only then, when I look up, do I notice him gawking at me.

"What?" I ask and immediately blush. Damn hormones…

"Uh, nothing you just, uh, you look… amazing," Sam says and blushes even more than me. I smile at him and brush a loose strand of wet hair out of my face before rolling my eyes and bumping into him as I walk to the sink.

"Yeah, yeah. That's probably because too much of my skin is exposed," I say and smirk at him through the mirror. Sam's face and ears are now burning with embarrassment. I smile to myself and wash my face.

"Or it's because you're just pretty," he says sheepishly. I turn to him and cock my head to one side. "Wait! I mean you're hot." I raise an eyebrow and he smacks himself in the face. "No, you're not hot… no, wait! I didn't mean it that way! You are hot, but I think you're more than that. What I mean to say is, I think that you're beautiful," he says and sighs. I simply laugh at him and shake my head.

"Turn around," I say and he does so. I put on my favorite froggy boxers and a simple white t-shirt. So I have a problem with cute cartoon animals on my boxers! So what? "You _really _have no clue how to talk to girls, do you?" I ask as I take my hair out of the towel and begin to brush it.

"Considering the only ones who have ever talked to me are family, teachers, and you and Sarah, I bet you could guess that one pretty easily…" he mumbles. I shift my mouth to the left then puff air out of my mouth. He turns around, but continues to stare at the bathroom floor.

"Sam… you shouldn't think too badly about yourself. I mean, you're funny, freakishly smart, sweet, and not too bad on the eyes," I say and give him a little wink. "But, most importantly I know that you'd never leave any one of us alone. You'd never let anyone try to hurt us and that right there is probably the most amazing thing about you." Holy shit… did I really just do that? Get a grip, Six. You sound like John. But it's no use.

Sam picks his head up and looks me in the eyes. He takes a small step towards me, then another, and then is only a foot away from me. My heart is pounding faster than ever and I lean up against the counter so my legs don't give out. I can smell his minty breath and it makes me lightheaded. Sam takes another small step towards me and tucks some hair behind my ear that always happens to be in front of my face.

"Six, tell me, how is it that you're the only girl I've ever seen that isn't subjected to John's charm?" he asks. I pin my eyebrows together slightly. Why did he have to bring up John at a time like this? God, he's so clueless.

"Maybe because I'm too concentrated on someone else," I whisper. I close the space so our noses are almost touching. I stare at his perfect lips then look back up to his eyes; those chocolate brown eyes. I can almost feel them smiling at me. He glances over to the right casually before actually bringing his forehead to mine.

"You know, I've been a little distracted myself lately," he whispers and gives me his famous grin that makes my stomach flip-flop.

"Smoothest thing you've ever said," I whisper back before leaning in and closing the space between us completely. The second I feel his lips on mine, my body goes off like a firework. I hold my breath in until I remember I can breathe out of my nose. I feel Sam's hands on the bottom of my rib cage, then sliding down towards my hips where he gently rests his hands. My palms are on his torso which I had forgotten was bare. I let my hands roam over his chest and the top of his back before sliding them up his neck to his hair.

I push myself closer to him to deepen the kiss. His tongue had entered my mouth and I let him take control. My arms are now locked around his neck and his wrapped around my waist. Now, feeling rather confident, I jump up, without breaking our kissing, and wrap my legs around his waist. Sam catches me and moves his hands to hold me by the area where my thighs meet my butt. I halfway expect him to grab my butt like every other guy would, but he doesn't.

Sam is now walking through the doorway, still holding me tightly, towards the bed. In a fluid motion, he slides his hands up to my sides while I drop my legs down. Immediately I lean backwards whilst still holding on to him. I lay on my back while Sam hovers over me, using his arms to support him. We then roll over so we're both on our sides. My head finds the pillow and I finally break the kiss.

I look lovingly into his eyes, and against all of my rules, my mind, and what's best for him, I tell him what I've been feeling for the past week or two.

"I love you." Sam plants a soft, lingering kiss on my lips before leaning his head up against mine and saying the words I've been secretly dying to hear.

"I love you too." His hand gently caresses my face. I squint at him from the light overhead, so I turn it off. "So, does this mean I get to sleep in your bed tonight?" he asks. I grin at him and kiss him again.

"Every night," I whisper and lean my forehead up against his. For minutes we only listen to each other breathe. My mind wanders off as I think about him. His eyes, his lips, his touch, his skin, his hair, everything just seems to make my legs wobble and my heart pound against my chest so fast I think it'll fly right through my skin.

Honestly, I hate this. I hate being vulnerable, I hate showing any sign of weakness, I hate being distracted from everything else, I hate loving him. But I do and I can't change that. He's almost like a drug to me. No matter how much I want to fight him or run away, I always end up right back next to him. My whole life I've been taught to be tough, to fight, to never give up, and to never let anyone or anything get in my way, but here he is. A skinny, nerdy, goofy, human boy who I could easily snap with one hand is holding me back.

"Sam? I need you to know something," I say. He has no response so I just continue. "I need you to know that, I'm not going to be this way around other people. I've always been told that I need to be strong and build a wall around my personal issues and emotions, but then here you come and the wall seems to crumble into nothing when you're around. It's just… we're not going to be like Sarah and John who are all loving each other every second of every day. We're going to fight, and with my stubborn personality I know it'll be a lot. I'm going to say stuff I don't mean and, I'm just letting you know, I'm not an easy person to… love. But just know that even when it's really bad, I love you. I won't stop and I can't stop loving you, Sam Goode."

I didn't even notice I was crying until I felt my face on Sam's bare chest. The covers are tucked around us both now and he's holding me like a little kid. I feel my forehead being kissed and sense him move his mouth to my ear.

"I know you, Six. I know it'll be hard, but don't ever think I'll stop loving you. Not for one second because I will always love you, Number Six."

"I love you too."

When I finally fell asleep, Julianne visits me. We're in the same place as we always are. Sitting on the rocks in the middle of the small lake where the crystal water pours from a waterfall almost 30 feet away. She's been visiting me in my dreams ever since she died.

"Julianne, is it okay that I'm doing this?" I ask her. She moves her glimmering black hair out of her face so that I can see her hazel eyes. She sits down cross-legged and I mimic her motion. She takes my hands in hers and takes a deep breath.

"Maren Elizabeth," she says softly. My eyes soften at the name. I hadn't heard it in over three years. "I always taught you to protect yourself and never let anyone in, no?" I nod at her and begin to speak, but she puts a finger on my lips. "I blame myself. I was always so caught up in trying to train and protect you that I forgot what love was. I forgot how I was once in love with my husband, Brandon."

"Brandon was Four's Cêpan," I interrupt. Her face lights up and she smiles widely at me, showing off her perfect white teeth. They contrasted so much against her coffee colored skin.

"Yes, I believe he is with him now. All of us can visit you in your dreams if we happen to pass away. But, anyhow, I'm so sorry. I'm sorry I never told you how important love can be my dear. It's the most powerful thing on Lorien. More powerful than any Mogadorian, power, or weapon. Granted, falling in love with a Lorien is more powerful than a human, but any Lorien love is powerful. Now, tell me about this boy," she says. I can feel my face get red and I immediately smile wide. I look down at the luscious grass, then back up at her whose eyes are eager to listen.

"His name is Sam Goode. His father, Malcom, was the one who helped John, I mean, Four and Henri or Brandon get settled on Earth. His dad went missing when he was seven and all that was left of him were his glasses and pick-up truck. Actually, I'm sleeping with him right now, but _actually _sleeping, Julianne, nothing more," I say. She breathes a sigh of relief and I wink at her.

"Okay, but tell me about him. I don't want facts, I want your feelings because I've talked to Henri and I agree that you Garde are supposed to fall in love with a human. Of course, before I believed that you and Four would end up together. You were so close, but now I see the real connection you have to him is more of a brother-sister one. But, tell me about Mr. Sam Goode," Julianne says and leans on her palms which are now propped up by her elbows that are leaning on the grass. I grin before speaking.

"He's about an inch taller than me, he has the most beautiful chocolate brown eyes I've ever seen, his smile makes me weak all over, he looks skinny, but actually has a very nice body, he's kind of a dork, I could probably snap him in half without trying, and when I kiss him… it's like nothing I've ever felt before. He's a goofy, funny, nerd that I'm in love with and that I can't stop thinking about." I bite my lip and grin wider than I ever have before. Julianne gives me a hearty laugh and shakes her head at me.

"How did I know you'd fall in love with the dork?" I laugh and roll my eyes before swatting her arm. "I knew that you couldn't fall in love with someone as powerful as you, but he is strong, yes?" I nod.

"He seems weak and feeble, but honestly I think he can be ever stronger and more stubborn than I am in other ways," I say. Julianne grins at me.

"Then I think you found the one."

"I think so too."

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><p>The Mogadorian is walking towards her. There's nothing I can do. My hands are bound behind me, my hands are sliced open, my ankles are tied together, and there's a cloth in my mouth. Her blonde hair in spattered with blood and clings to her face. Her body is bound to the wall with chains. Tears are streaming down her face, making her looks feeble and weak. Blood dribbles down her face and her clothes are bloody and torn to bits. They make me watch as they beat her. Her face is bruising as well as the rest of her body.<p>

"Watch as we kill her, Four," the scout says in my ear. I can almost smell his sour breath. The soldier walks up to her holding a knife, about to plunge it into her heart. He laughs and looks at me before cocking his hand back.

"No!" I scream. His knife enters her body and she immediately leans forward, blood seeping from her wound, lifeless. Her face cold and white. "SIX!"

I bolt straight up out of bed. Sweat lingers on my forehead and my body shakes. I shudder and press my hands to my face. I rub my eyes and pull my hands through my hair. I feel small hands touch my back and run up my shoulders. A pair of soft lips kisses my cheek.

"John? Are you okay?" a voice says with their hands now rubbing my shoulders. I turn and see Sarah's worried face. I let out a breath and embrace her. I kiss her neck gently and close my eyes. I breathe her in deeply and let out a deep breath. I could never get enough of Sarah, ever.

"It was a bad dream," I say as I pull away and lay back down. I glance at the clock which now says 4:06. I sigh and pull Sarah close to me again. She lies on my arm which wrap around her and she puts her head on my chest. Her fingers gently play with my free hand and she kisses it gently, planting small kisses on every inch of it.

"What happened?" Sarah asks and nuzzles her head close to mine. I lean my cheek on her hair and begin to retell my dream.

"I was watching, helpless, unable to do anything, as the Mogs tortured and killed Six. Blood was everywhere and I couldn't do a damn thing about it," I say as I gently stroke her hair. Sarah's silent for a moment.

"Six is beautiful," she says quietly. I sigh at Sarah and kiss the top of her head. She's so clueless of how much she means to me, how much I love her.

"Sarah Hart, you are the most beautiful, smart, kind, and amazing girl I've ever laid eyes on. Do you really not know how much you mean to me?" I ask her. She shrugs. I make and appalled sound and sit up. I grab her shoulders and make her sit up. I pull her on to my lap, but so she's facing me completely, and take her own hands in mine.

"I'm in complete and total love with you. The only way I will ever love Six is as a sister. We used to be best friends on Lorien. Friends. That's it. I told you before, it is impossible for me to have any slight feelings for anyone besides you and it's impossible for me to not love you. I fell in love with you, I am in love with you, and I will always be in love with you. Never doubt that for a second," I say. I pull her close and kiss her lips slowly, tenderly. Sarah leans her head close to mine and pushes her forehead and nose against mine.

"I'm sorry. I know that it's impossible, but it's hard to believe. It's hard to not be jealous when I'm dating you and Six is gorgeous _and _a Lorien," Sarah says and bites her lip. I take her face in my hands and bring my lips to hers before breaking away.

"I don't care if you're human, I wouldn't care if Six was a super model, and I don't care that you have doubts about me not loving you fully back. You can't and won't ever get rid of me. Sorry, love," I say and wink at her. She chuckles at me and kisses me again. Sarah rolls off of me and grabs my hand pulling me towards her body. I lay down so we're spooning perfectly. I lean over so my mouth it right on her ear.

"I love you more than life itself, Sarah Hart. Never forget that," I whisper. Her hand reaches over and pulls my face to hers so she can kiss me.

"I love you too, Number Four."

**You guys are lucky! I'm putting two out this weekend! Only cause I'm sick today though :P I hope you guys liked it!**


	14. Airplanes And Girls Just Lead To Trouble

"Okay so John and Sarah, you guys will be in 3AB, Sam and Jane are in 3CD, and Kyle and I will be in 3EF. Got it?" Patrick says. I nod and pull Sarah to my side. "We have about a half an hour until they start boarding so go ahead and find somewhere to eat. I'm going to stay with the bags."

"Alright, I _really _need some coffee. Anyone wanna hit a Starbucks?" Six asks.

"Yeah, if we don't find one then I fear for my own safety on the plane," Sam says. Six rolls her eyes and smiles at him. Sam returns it and takes her hand from behind both of them. I raise my eyebrow at both of them seeming to be the only one to notice and they both turn scarlet red. Smirking I take Sarah's hand and all five of us start walking towards the coffee shop.

"John? I need to talk to you," Sarah says and looks up at me, biting her lip. A wave of panic hits my body, but her hand squeezes mine a little tighter.

"Uh, Jane, order me my usual. I need to talk to Sarah for a sec," I say and lead Sarah over to an unused waiting area. We sit on the hard leather couch and as she takes both of my hands in hers, my heart feels like it's gonna rip out of my chest. Was she going to break up with me or leave? Did she get a different flight home? Did she sell us out to someone?

"John… I love you so much and I know you're only trying to keep me safe, but I just… I need to talk to my parents," she says, "I mean, it's been three weeks and I just can't go on like this. It keeps nagging at me and I really need to tell them I'm okay." I let out the oxygen I was holding in and close my eyes. I rub my face and thank God that this was all she wanted to talk about.

"Sarah Hart, don't you ever scare me like that again. I thought you had like booked a different flight out of here or something," I say. I pull Sarah in for a hug and rub her back soothingly. I can't really understand what she's going through, but I know I have to let her talk to them.

"Oh John, I told you that I'm never going to leave you. Never in a million years," Sarah says. I walk her over to a pay phone and hand her a few quarters.

"Talk for as long as you want. I trust you not to give away any vital information. Do you want me to stay with you?" I ask and rub her arms gently. She shakes her head and I kiss her forehead. "I'll be right over there when you're done. Take all the time you need." Sarah thanks me and turns to the booth to start dialing her parents' number. I stroll over to Sam, Six, and Five who are sitting at around a small table drinking coffee and eating muffins.

"Hey, everything alright with Sarah?" Sam asks. I nod and take a sip of my coffee.

"Yeah, I let her call her parents. It's been gnawing at her for a while and I think she feels really guilty about it," I say. Sam nods at me completely understanding what I'm saying. His stepfather's an ass and his mom is too messed up to even care that he's gone. He glances down, then over at Six who gives him a reassuring smile. Five is staring at Six every couple of seconds and then taking a sip of his drink trying to look inconspicuous.

"So, Kyle, if you were a superhero what powers would you have?" I ask him and wink. He's looks at me, confused, so I stare at Six and say, "Well, if _I _were a superhero, I would want telekinetic powers, being able to talk to animals, and being able to shoot light from my hands. What about you, Jane?" I ask.

"Well, John, I would want to be invisible. I'd also want to be able to control the elements and have telekinetic powers too. So, what about you Kyle?" she asks.

Having finally caught on, he says," Uh, I think it'd be pretty cool to be able to crawl up walls and ceilings. It'd also be pretty sick to absorb power so you could like fire it back at people or use it to power yourself up. Communicating with animals would be pretty awesome too." I nod and lean in closer to him.

"Well I guess you'll come in handy then," I whisper and he grins madly. Sam then starts ranting on about what powers he would want to have while Six bangs her head against the table. I smile down to myself and shake my head.

They're so in love. Every time they "fight" one of them ends up grinning or simply nudging the other. Honestly, it's not surprising. Opposites _do _attract I guess. I glance over at Sarah who's obviously been crying and still talking to her parents. She hangs the phone up and rubs her eyes. She looks in my direction and motions for me to come over.

"Excuse me for a moment," I say to the three others and rise out of my chair. I weave in and out of the crowd to get to her and when I arrive she throws her arms around me and buries her face in my shoulder. I hold her close to me as I feel her sharp breaths and feel her hard sobs going into my shoulder. All I can do is stroke her hair and whisper words of comfort; tell her that I'll never let her go, never leave her, and never make her feel this way.

I take her by the waist and walk into a family restroom. I shut the door and lock it so Sarah can talk to me quietly and clean herself up.

"What happened?" I ask even though I already know the answer. Sarah sniffs and walks to the sink looking at herself in the mirror. She takes a paper towel and begins to wipe her eyes before answering.

"They thought I was killed in the school fight. Either that or kidnapped. After the police investigated and found no bodies, they thought that you had taken me and that I was being held against my will. They put a reward out for my capture… and yours," Sarah says. She leans against the sink with her hands rubbing her arms. I take in a deep breath and let it out slowly. I knew this would happen; I just knew it. "But, I told them that we ran away together. I told them that they were smothering me and that we just had to get away. It was the hardest thing I've ever had to do, John."

"I know. I didn't want you to ever have to do this to them. They're such good people, Sarah. I hate myself for having you here with me. I hate that you have to lie to the people who love you most. I hate that if we're ever in danger with the Mogs then you are too." I grab the hair in my head in rage and yell in anger. Sarah walks over to me though and gently urges my arms down.

"It's my choice, John. I'd rather have to lie to my parents then not know what you're doing at every second of every day. I need to know that you're alive," she says. Her hands are on my cheeks gently stroking them with her thumbs. I nod softly and kiss her hand. I then reach my arm out, grab her by the waist, and pull her into me crashing my lips on to hers. It's a kiss of sadness, but not less passionate then any others we've shared.

"I love you so much," Sarah murmurs into my ear.

"I love you too. Now let's get back to the others," I say and lead her out the door.

When we board the plane I realize how awesome it is to have loads of money. We're seated in first class so there are only ten rows with three columns of two seats per column. Sarah and I are in the first column, Sam and Six in the second, and Five and Patrick in the third.

"You want the window seat? I don't like being enclosed," I say to Sarah who happily obliges. She scoots in and I plop into the surprisingly comfortable black leather seat. I shove my backpack under the seat in front of me and glance down the row. Sam is closer to me looking on the computer, Six is already sleeping on his shoulder, Five is watching Six sleep, and Patrick is listening to music. I glance back at Five who is intently watching Six. It's actually sort of creepy the way he's looking at her. Five glances up though, feeling my eyes on him, and quickly turns away. I feel a nudge on my leg, breaking my thought.

"What are you looking so hard at over there?" Sarah asks. I narrow my eyes at him before turning to face her.

"Kyle… he keeps watching Jane sleep. He was watching her at the coffee shop too. It's starting to creep me out," I say and scratch my jaw. God, I really need to shave.

"Maybe he likes her," she says and then, reading my mind, says, "John, you really need to shave. And you need a haircut. I'll give you one when we get to Spain."

"But, we're supposed to fall in love with humans," I whisper. "And you don't like the scruff?" I ask and grin at her. She gives me a seductive smile that makes my heart start beating faster. After all we've gone through, how is it that she still makes me feel like I could fly?

"Oh, I do very much, but I'm afraid someone will try and steal you away from me," Sarah says coolly. I put up the arm rest separating us and pull her close to me. She leans her head on my shoulder and looks up at me. I kiss her forehead and rub her arm.

"Like I said before, I can't love anyone besides you. So I guess I'm stuck with you," I say and wink at her. Sarah rolls her eyes, but scoots her body closer to me anyhow.

"You know John, just because someone says you're supposed to fall in love with someone else, doesn't mean you have to. Maybe you're really in love with me, maybe not. Maybe Kyle likes Jane, maybe not. You have a choice, you know." I ponder her words and think about Henri's as well. _There was a prediction that you all would mate with a human, but it was ruled out a long time ago. However, given the circumstances, I see that the predictions were right._ Did we have a choice or was Henri right?

"Well, regardless, I'd still choose you every time," I say and beam down at her. Sarah tries to prop herself up, but fails. Pouting, she reaches for my face. "Oh, I see. Gonna make me do all the hard work?" I ask with sarcasm present in my tone.

"Yep. It's all part of my big plan," she says with a wink. I lean down and kiss her lips softly, smiling into the kiss while she returns it. I break away, but Sarah sticks her lip out.

Chuckling I put my mouth on her head and say, "We're on a plane, love. There will be plenty of time for that later."

"I don't care," Sarah says seductively and reaches to pull my face down again. I laugh and lean down, but only to plant my lips on her forehead. "Jerk…" she whispers.

"Patience is a virtue," I say and laugh at her.

"Yeah, one that I don't have," she mumbles.

"Obviously." I hear the speaker turn on and a woman's voice start speaking. I don't hear her though because I'm only focused on the most beautiful thing on this plane. I don't even notice when we take off because I'm lucky enough to have this girl leaning on me.

Sarah's head is leaning on my shoulder, her hands in her lap, and her eyes closed. The light is shining through the small oval window and streaming right onto her face. Her skin seems to glow with radiance and her blonde hair is a gold color. Her lips are turned up in a crescent shape and her cheeks have the slightest rosiness in them. Gently, I lift a strand of hair out of her face and tuck it behind her ear.

As soon as my fingers graze her face, she smiles wide showing her perfect white teeth. As I move my hand back, she reaches over, grabs it, and brings it to her mouth. She kisses the back of my hand softly before releasing it and snuggling into me more. I smile as she wiggles into my shoulder and neck.

"Excuse me, sir. Do you need anything?" a flight attendant asks me. She has short brunette hair and green eyes. She's bent over so that her shirt is dipped down showing off a little more than the other attendants. I clear my throat and look up at her, blushing a little.

"No, I'm fine thank you," I say politely. She then proceeds to sit on my arm rest and cross her legs. She leans over even more so her head is a little too close to mine.

"So where are you off to?" she asks. Shouldn't she be doing her job?

"Uh, Spain. Barcelona, actually."

"Oh! Barcelona's a romantic city. Do you have a girlfriend?" she asks and starts to twirl her hair. Could she not see the girl leaning on me? I guess not.

"That would be me," Sarah says without moving or opening her eyes. I stifle a laugh and the flight attendant purses her lips.

"Well, just call if you need anything," she says and stands up. Before I can respond, Sarah does.

"I will." The girl walks away with her fists clenched at her sides. Sarah gets up and shuts the window. She then looks at me with a smirk before saying, "I can't even get a few minutes of shut eye without girls throwing themselves at you. Stop being so damn attractive around other people." I give her a hearty laugh and lean my head back. I turn towards her and put my forehead up against hers.

"Well, I was only trying to match you. Before Little Miss Flirt came up, I was just thinking about how lucky I was to have someone as beautiful as you leaning on me," I say. Sarah, even though I'm pretty sure she planned it, kisses me on the lips right as the girl walked by with a drink cart. She clears her throat and I spin my head around.

"Sorry to disturb you, but would either of you like a drink?" she asks. I shake my head, but Sarah asks sweetly, _very _sweetly, for water. I bite my lip trying not to laugh at their catfight. As the flight attendant reaches over to hand Sarah the water, she dips it forward, intending to spill it on Sarah. And this is what alien boyfriends are for. Before a drop falls, I make a cart drawer fall completely out and grab the cup from her hand.

"Better be careful about how you angle those cups. They might spill," I say and hand the water to my girlfriend. The girl looks at my dumbfounded, but then goes to clean up the mess I caused from the drink cart. Sarah smiles at me in awe and shakes her head slightly. "What?" I whisper, "I have to good for _something_." She rolls her eyes and punches my arm. I lean in and kiss her on her perfect lips.

"I'm going to bed. Wake me up when we're in Atlanta," Sarah says. I nod and offer her my shoulder. Instead, she curls her feet up in her seat and puts her head on my lap. She looks up at me and says, "Much better." Then she closes her eyes and turns on her side. I stroke her hair gently and smile down at her. Despite everything, I'm the luckiest person alive.

I glance down the row and look at Sam and Six. I can make out Sam and Six's hands held together behind Sam's thigh. Six 's head is on Sam's shoulder while his is resting rather lightly on her head. His mouth is open and most likely snoring. With a flick of my head, I shut his mouth slowly and gently so that he doesn't look a complete slob next to Six.

Six is really quite gorgeous. Granted, I think Sarah is the most beautiful person I've ever laid eyes on, but Six is something different. Her eyes are more of an ice blue, but I see them come alive when she's with Sam. I've seen her smile at me, but only if it's a smirk or a simple curve of the lips. When she's with Sam, her smile is as bright as the sun. I can see how someone could fall in love with her, despite the hell of a personality she has.

I only wonder how Sam gets through to her. He's a skinny, nerdy, goofball who makes dumb jokes and does nothing but eat and sleep. Six is a beautiful, bad ass, strong alien who could snap him like a twig. I really needed to talk to Sam and Six. Separate, of course, but something has really happened since last night. Actually, I think it's the best thing that's happened to both of them. They finally have someone they can love.

"John?" I hear. I look down and see Sarah sleeping and I'm not sure if it was just a figment of my imagination, but she says my name again.

"Yes?"

"Tell me you love me." I can't help but smile. She really had no idea.

"I love you more than you'll ever know, Sarah."

"Good." She didn't even need to say it back. Just her being here is good enough for me.

**Yeah so basically this whole chapter was just a John/Sarah thing. Sam/Six in the next one! Hope you liked it(: And anyone have predictions about Number Five? Let me know!**


	15. It's Good To Be Back In The Game

**Alright you Sam and Six fanatics! Here's your chapter ;) And sorry if my Spanish is off… I used Google Translate!**

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><p>After landing in Atlanta and spending our hour layover playing cards and screwing with random strangers such as moving their luggage and untying their shoes, we finally boarded the plane headed for Barcelona. This time, John and Sarah are in front of Sam and I, and Patrick and Five are sitting in the aisle next to us. Currently, two hours into our flight, John is knocked out against the wall in the seat in front of Sam with Sarah laying on him, Patrick is watching the movie they're showing, and Five is listening to music. Well, so it seems.<p>

Before we took off John brought me aside and told me that Five kept staring at me in the Starbucks and on the last flight. That's really creepy. I don't like being stared at for one because it makes me feel like more of a freak then I already am. Two, people who stare at me for a long time usually get injured. Or killed.

So here I am sitting next to Sam who's watching _The X-Files _(shocker there, folks) while Five keeps glancing over at me. He has been for two _freaking _hours. Finally, I can't handle him anymore.

"What do you keep staring at?" I hiss at him. Five's eyes go wide and he looks taken aback while red floods his whole face.

"Nothing… sorry," he mumbles and goes back to his music. That's another one of my pet peeves. I can't _stand it _when someone says or does something and then the next minute they're all, "Oh, never mind!" It bugs the hell out of me. I pick up my empty water cup and throw it at him. It bounces off his shoulder and he looks at me with a what-the-hell-was-that-for expression.

"Look, I saw you at the airport and the last flight. What's so fascinating that you have to keep looking at?" I whisper-yell at him and lean over the aisle so I can hear his response. He scratches the back of his neck and is obviously uncomfortable. Oh no. Is my shirt see-through? Is there something in my teeth? What the hell is he staring at?

"You're just… really beautiful is all. I'm sorry if it's been bothering you," Five says. He looks quite genuine in his response and it makes my whole body feel warm inside.

"Uh, well, thanks… and it's okay," I say and turn back to Sam who just recently has finished his movie. I choose not to tell him about Five. It's only one more problem that we'd have.

"You're such a dork," I say and punch his arm. He feigns hurting, but gives me his famous smile.

"Yeah, a dork you _love_," he says drawing out love. I roll my eyes at him and turn away so he won't see my grin. He's so right though. I'm in complete and total love with him despite all of his dorkiness. I cross my arms and turn away from him, but I feel my buckle being released and before I can react, I'm pulled into him. I fight squealing so I don't make everyone look at us. I'm now pressed up against him, well, actually sitting on top of him completely while he leans against the plane wall. Sam sticks his chin on top of my shoulder and kisses my cheek.

"You know you love me," he whispers into my ear.

"You know I do," I whisper back. I turn my head and body so that my face is centimeters from his. I lean my forehead against his and kiss his lips delicately. Mmm… I could never get enough of Sam. His lips are always so perfect, his eyes always so warm, and his smile always so bright. Oh hell, I'm sounding like the Romeo sitting in front of me!

I start to pull away, but Sam only leans in closer wanting more. He pulls my hips towards him while my hands slink around his neck. Sam starts kissing my neck, giving me a chance to talk.

"Sam… we're on a plane. Stop it… Sam…" I say breathless. He smirks and gives me a peck on the lips.

"Well, then wait a couple hours?" he asks and smiles at me. I nod and rest my head on his chest. I nuzzle my head into him as he wraps his arms around me. Soon, I drift off.

By the time we land I'm tired, irritated, and don't want to be talked to. Sam sees that and, thankfully, only holds my hand. Luggage isn't a hassle considering we only brought carry-on bags, but the amount of people here is annoying. There are so many different languages, voices, and sounds that it makes me want to scream. They're all clouding my head. I glance over at John and he too seems to be uncomfortable.

"John? Is all this noise bothering the hell out of you too?" I ask. He grimaces and nods viciously.

We get to the rental car check out, but the man only speaks Spanish. Yay. But, out of the blue, Sarah steps up.

"Jane, what name did you put us under?" she asks.

"Jane Miller," I say. I look at her skeptically, but she walks past me. She goes up to the desk and starts talking in flawless Spanish.

"Hola. Nosotros somos los Millers. ¿Podría usted conseguirnos nuesta coche, por favor? Debe estar bajo Jane Miller," Sarah says. The man at the desk smiles and answers her.

"Sí, sí! Bienvenido a Barcelona! Déjeme mirar en los archives para usted. Soy feliz de que uno de usted habla español," he replies and starts searching his computer. We all turn at her with mouths open and she simply shrugs.

"What? I took Spanish for three years in middle school and three and a half in high school. I can speak it pretty fluently now," Sarah says. John grins at her and pulls her close to him.

"You know, you could've mentioned that when I was trying to find the bathroom!" John says and nudges her to the side. Sarah simply laughs and tells him that it was funnier watching him try to figure it out.

"Aquí tienes. Buena selección, por el camino. La Ducati es muy agradable. Tenga un buen tiempo en Barcelona!" the man says and hands her two slips of paper.

"Gracias!" Sarah says before turning towards me with her mouth open.

"You got a Ducati?" Sarah asks me. I look off to the distance casually before shoving my hands in my pockets.

"May-be. Look, you made me leave _my _bike at home! I'm sorry! But, you guys can ride in the Suburban!" I say. John rolls his eyes at me and picks his bag up.

"Alright, let's get out of here. I'm getting a major head ache." I nod in agreement and head towards the door. As soon as we get out the door, a gust of hot air hits my body. It warms my skin and face while my hair dances lightly in the breeze. I grin for a second, but then realize why we're here. We're here so we can find another Number to help us save the world, not for a vacation. Still, I can help but feel like this _is _a break.

I spot the rental place and start to walk over but, I pivot around and grab Sarah's wrist.

"I might need your freakish Spanish skills," I say and drag her behind me. I drop her wrist and we jog across the street to the rental place. As soon as we walk in, cold air hits me and I feel like something's wrong. I never ignore my instincts, but it's only Sarah, a fat guy watching TV in the back, the rental car guy, and me. I take a deep breath and Sarah walks up to the desk. The guy pops his head up and eyes both of us before giving a creepy smile.

"Hola," Sarah says. The man chuckles.

"I speak English, sweetheart," the man says, his voice thick with a Spanish accent. He stands up and looms over the counter. The little hair he has is combed back and heavily greased. He has a thin, gold chain around his neck and he's wearing what used to be white tank top stained with grease and most likely sweat. His faded blue work jacket is unbuttoned showing off his disgusting shirt and a sliver of skin where his shirt doesn't reach down past. I almost puke. He has a gold tooth in his mouth and the rest of his crooked teeth are different shades of yellow. I look at him in disgust as he peers at me. Sarah, however, seems fine.

"Oh, great! Could you get us our rental items, please?" she asks and hands the man the papers. He looks them over and types some things into the computer. He puts up a finger and walks into the back room. I can hear soft mumbling from the two men.

"I don't like this, Sarah," I whisper. A panicked strikes her face and I look at her reassuringly. I whisper for her to take a deep breath and stay behind me, just in case. She takes a step backwards so I'm in front of her. A few moments later, the man and his friend walk out with two sets of keys.

"Thank you," I say sweetly with a hint of sarcasm present in my voice. I reach my hand out, but the men both laugh. I cock my head to one side and ask, "Can we have our keys?" The skinnier man laughs and walks past the counter towards me. His breath smells so strongly of cigarettes and cheap alcohol that I almost pass out.

"Of course you can have your keys, angel. You just need to pay us, you know?" he says and glances down at his pants quickly, then back at me, grinning.

"Or… you can give us the keys before you and fat ass over there end up out the window," I say calmly. Both men look at each other and laugh. The skinny one looks and me and squints his eyes.

"I like girls with an attitude," he says and edges closer to me.

"Six…" Sarah whispers, the fear obvious in her voice. I put my arm in front of her so she knows it'll be okay.

"Do you like a foot in your stomach?" Before he can respond, I kick him straight over the counter and he slams against the wall. The fat one runs at me, but a pull Sarah to the side with me and he runs past us. Before he turns around, I place my foot on his butt and send him barreling through the window. The other guy is moaning on the ground behind the counter and the fat guy doesn't look like he'll be getting up anytime soon.

"God, I needed that!" I yell. Sarah simply looks at me bewildered. I glance over at her and see her expression. "Are you okay?" I ask her. She nods and goes to pick up our keys. However, I walk over to the guy leaning against the wall. I bend down so my mouth is close to his ear and so my voice is only audible to him.

"That was for being a sick pervert. This is for calling me angel," I whisper before punching him so hard that his gold tooth pops out and skids across the floor. He falls over unconscious just as John and Five burst through the door.

"Six! What the hell happened?" John yells and takes in the scene.

"Eh, those two pigs wanted a little something extra in return for our keys, so I gave it to them," I say casually and shrug. John rolls his eyes at me and walks over to Sarah asking her if she was okay. Five strides over to me and put his hands on my arms.

"Are you alright?" he asks, obviously concerned. I give him an odd stare and he takes his hands off of me.

"No, I'm in a state of shock," I say sarcastically. "I was scared for me life. No, I actually needed it. Which reminds me that we need to start training again," I say loudly and glance over at John. He groans and I laugh. We did a little bit of training after the battle with the Mogs and Sam and John were tired as hell afterwards. Let's just say I'm a pretty hardcore teacher.

"Sorry. I was just making sure," Five mumbles.

"I'm fine. First thing you need to know about me: If you don't see me bleeding, bruised, or screaming in pain, I'm alright. Second thing: If I'm in a battle and everything except me is destroyed afterwards, I'm usually the one who did it in which case, you don't need to ask," I say. Five just stares at me with his mouth open as I walk away. Sam walks up to the door and shakes his head at me. Patrick, on the other hand, goes and speaks with John, Sarah, and now Five.

"Six, what'd you do this time?" he asks and puts his hands on his hips. I can't help, but smile at him. I shove my hands in my pockets and look at the ground.

"He called me angel," I say innocently. Sam makes and tsk-tsk noise and walks over to me wagging his finger. I roll my eyes and slap it down before putting my arms around his neck.

"Only I get to call you angel," Sam murmurs so it's only audible to me.

"No one gets to call me angel," I respond, "Ever." With a smile I lean in and kiss him softly, his lips mimicking mine. Sam pulls me into a hug and whispers in my ear.

"Whatever you say… angel." As soon as the words leave his mouth, he winks and bolts out the door hoping that I don't knock him dead for that.

"I'll kill you, Sam Goode!" I yell as he runs back to our stuff so he's a safe distance away from me. I turn around and walk towards the other four. "Alright, I suggest we get out of here before the cops show up. Sarah, can I have the keys to the Ducati?" I ask. She nods and tosses them to me. I catch them with my right hand and begin to walk away, but a hand grabs my shoulder.

"Six," Sarah says. I turn around and raise my eyebrow, silently allowing her to proceed. "Thanks." I give her a real genuine smile and nod.

"Hey, anything to keep this one from moping around," I say and nod my head at John. I stick my tongue out at him and walk away as he tells me to shut up. Laughing I go and find my bike. I walk around behind the small building while the others pile out and look for the truck. I peer over from the left side over to the right- there! At the end of the second row where three motorcycles are standing, I see it.

It's an all-black, high gloss, sleek Ducati Cromo. I rub my hand along the leather seat and handles. It's freaking _gorgeous_. I thought I loved Sam… but this…. okay, maybe I'm getting kind of extreme. I mean, Sam's a human and this is a bike, but still… I think I'm in love.

I sit down, put the key in, and turn on the engine. It purrs with life and I can almost feel myself connecting to it. I rev it up and slowly bring it around to Sam and the bags. He looks at the bike with awe and walks up to it.

"Sam, I think I might have to dump you for this bike," I say and rub the side of it.

"Hmm… something tells me it won't be in one piece for very long then," he says. I gasp and narrow my eyes at him.

"You. Wouldn't. Dare."

"Try me." I cross my arms and make an angry face at him. He simply laughs and pulls my helmet and leather jacket out of my bag for me.

"Be careful, okay? Here are the directions to the hotel. We'll be right behind you. I'll see you there," he says. I take my jacket and slip it on despite it being about ninety degrees out. I stick the directions in the clip on the bike so it doesn't blow away and give Sam a quick kiss.

"Love you," I say before putting my black Ray Bans on and pulling on my helmet.

"Love you too," he says and gives me a small smile. I get on the bike and hit the kick stand back. I hear a knocking on my helmet so I swivel my head around. I flip the mask up and Sam leans in.

"Don't kill yourself. Please." I laugh and squeeze his hand. Sam backs off and gives me a small wave. I wiggle my fingers at him which gets me a roll of the eyes from him. Then, I rev the engine up and drive away. I pull out of the parking lot and on to the feeder road. As soon as I get off of there, I hit the main road.

There aren't that many cars around surprisingly, so I give the bike a little gas. It roars with delight and I lean down. I start weaving in and out of the few cars that are there while hearing their annoyed horns. I laugh to myself and pick up the speed. Going almost 85mph, I can feel the adrenaline rushing through me. My blood is pumping mad hard and my heart is about to explode.

I check behind me to make sure there's no one close behind me; there's not a car in sight. I hit the brakes and the bike skids on the tires leaning so far over I feel like I can touch the ground. I spin off, and land facing left. Pumping my fist, I take off again and stop at the red light in front of me. I check the directions again, and turn on my blinker. As soon as it turns green, I take off.

All of a sudden, I'm in the air. I didn't even feel the impact. All I can see is that beautiful bike skidding into a wall and the asphalt below me. Time seems to suspend and I almost float towards the ground. All I can think about are Sam's last words to me. All I can see is his face. All I can do is think about how much my life will impact his. And I can't help but think about how I have failed his planet.

_Sorry I failed you, Sam. _Those are the last words that enter my mind before my world turns black and pain- becomes the only feeling I know.

**Heheheh… I'm evil, I know. Don't you just LOVE cliffies? ;) I left you with John getting stabbed at one point and now I'm leaving you with this! Have a good week of anticipation! Don't forget to review! Well, if you don't hate me right now ;)**


	16. Why Am I Always The One To Black Out?

**I hope the wait didn't kill you **_**too **_**much ;) Heads up: This is gonna be an emotional chapter… I think. We'll see!**

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><p>I grabbed the keys from Sarah and got in the truck along with the others who piled in fairly quickly. I was sure I could hear sirens way in the distance earlier, so it was time to move. With Patrick in the front with me and Five, Sam, and Sarah in the back, I pull on to the road and take a left. Once I'm on the main road I start seeing black tire marks. I smile and glance in the mirror back at Sam.<p>

"Yeah, I think Six likes her new bike," I say and chuckle. A slightly worried look crosses his face, but he tries to hide it from the rest of us and just grins back at me. It's just so ridiculous that Six, a bad ass daredevil, fell for Sam, a skinny dork who had never been in a fight in his life.

I cruise along and start to smell something burning. It smells terrible. I scrunch my nose up and frown. "Anyone else smell that?" I ask. Everyone starts sniffing and immediately wrinkling their noses. I know the scent and my breath gets caught in my throat. I feel like something's wrong, terribly wrong.

I'm almost at the light when I see a mess of black streak marks. That girl is going to kill herself one day, I swear. The horrid smell fills me nostrils once more. Then, it hits me.

"Burning rubber," I blurt out. I look up when I get to the light and see a piece of black metal jumbled up next to the wall. There's a truck with a rather large dent in it spun out in the middle of the road as well. I see a mob of people on the sidewalk surrounding something. Something that's leaking red. Everywhere. "No," I whisper almost to myself. I hit the gas and fly straight through traffic while the others yell at me and scream in fear.

"_John, what the hell are you doing!" _Sam screams. Horns beep and cars brake in front of me. I catch a glimpse of a few fingers out the windows of peoples' cars, but I simply charge forward. I skid to a stop at the wall where Six's now trashed bike is sitting, still hot and still smoking.

I yank the door open and leap out. I sprint over to where the mob of people is. They're all speaking in Spanish with hushed words. I jerk two people aside and fall on to my knees. I don't even realize when the others run up next to me. All I can see is Six's moaning, bloody, crumpled body. The people didn't even have the decency to take her helmet off! I slowly undo her helmet and hold her neck up with my hand. She looks at me with tears in her eyes, Six's eyes, pleading for help.

"Sam, come hold her neck," I command. There's no movement at all. "Sam!" I whip my head around and he's as pale as a ghost. All traces of color have drained from his face and he's standing there motionless. Sarah coaxes him forward and he rushes to her side. He takes her head in his hands and whispers to her. I carefully unzip her jacket, afraid of the damage, and open it up tenderly. Her left side is covered in blood completely. She's losing so much that the blood is all I can smell. "Oh, no… God stay with me Six." Gingerly, I take her jacket off, cut her shirt open, and start looking at her body.

Her left arm is obviously broken beyond repair and her right has a bone sticking out of her skin. Her legs are mangled and look like two noodles spun together. I rip my shirt off and put it on her side to try and stop the bleeding. Six yells in pain as the fabric even grazes her body. I pull away and see a bone tearing through her skin.

Tears are brimming my eyes and I have no idea what to do anymore. There's so much blood everywhere; on my hands, on my chest, on my jeans. I put and hand to my mouth and let a single tear fall down my cheek. Sam is sobbing as well as Sarah. Five's face is whiter than a ghost. Patrick's eyes are soft and full of sorrow. People have moved on after being threatened by Patrick and Five. What can I do? Then, an idea strikes me.

"Five, go get my Chest!" I yell. He starts to make a run for it, but Patrick stops him.

"No. This was done unintentionally. The Healing Stone won't work," he says. I punch the ground in fury.

"Shit!" I scream. "We have to do something!" Tears are flowing freely down my face and I'm only filled with pure rage. Five kneels down next to me and looks me in the eyes.

"I might be able to do something, but I'll need your help, John," he says. I clench my jaw and nod my head vigorously.

"Anything."

"Okay, I'm going to drain your power enough to get a hold of and transfer back to Six. Hopefully, it'll give her enough strength to almost heal herself. But, it's going to hurt you. I've done it before," he says. I grab his shoulders and shake him a little.

"I don't care! Just do it!" I yell. Five nods and looks at Patrick for approval. Patrick nods and Five places his hands on my chest. He takes a deep breath and closes his eyes. Before he starts I grab his shoulder. "You kill that son of a bitch who hit her, alright?" Five gives me a slight nod of the head before bracing himself.

His hands start to glow a light green until they're almost as bright as my Lumen. A fire starts burning in my chest making its way through out my body. I feel like I've been dropped in a lake of fire and there's absolutely no way out. I drop to my knees, but Five doesn't let up. I can't breathe, I can't see, I can't hear, all I can do is feel the pain, but I know Six is worse than I am. I clench my jaw and ball my fists up. I can feel my whole body shaking with pain.

"Okay, that might be enough," I hear Five say, but it seems like he's far away. I make a blind grab for his hands and keep them on me.

"No! Might… isn't… enough!" I feel his hands press harder into my chest. It feels like he's breaking me. It's like my bones are snapping in half, my muscles are ripping, and my body is being turned inside out. I scream in pain while my hands dig into the ground.

Then, my body goes limp. I simply collide with the ground and lay there, motionless. I start regaining my senses, but all I can hear are small gasps. I gently open my eyes trying to see what had happened.

Six is now moving slowly on the ground. The blood is gone, her limbs are intact, and there are only minor bruises. I blink to make sure I'm not just seeing things. I lose my breath and simply stare in shock. I then see Sarah's face coming near mine. Her eyes are red, but she's giving me a small smile. I hear two words before I fall unconscious.

"She's alive."

When I wake up, I'm in a soft bed. There are white sheets and a maroon comforter with golden embroidery on it. The walls are the same colors too, except the golden print is done in lines. The curtains are shut, but they're a simple light brown so the light is shining through them. The bed posts are a dark wood and the floor is carpeted with a cream color. There's a dresser in front of the bed with a flat screen TV on top, a closet to the left of it, and on my right, a corner with a desk up against the wall. The bathroom door is off to the left and wide open.

Sarah's inside changing having obviously just gotten out of the shower. Her golden hair is hanging in small tangles and she's dressed in a black bra and underwear. My eyes are glued to the many flawless curves of her body. She starts brushing her hair and with each stroke, her wet hair falls straight past her shoulders and back. How I want so much to be behind her, kissing every inch of her body…

Then I hear a noise. It's soft, and almost sounds like a bird. It's a simple murmur of words I don't know. Then, I realize she's singing.

"_She knows that he holds a separate thought of a home. He's too special to let go. And honestly I don't believe the words that the others speak. Cause right now he's all I ever think about." _She starts to hum the rest, but my mind is blown. Her voice is beautiful, her personality's beautiful, _she's_ beautiful. I smile to myself and close my eyes.

Soon, I feel weight being put on the bed and more heat near me. I'm almost tempted to look up, but Sarah plants a soft kiss on my forehead and starts running her fingers through my hair slowly and soothingly. "Wake up, John," Sarah says quietly in a soft voice. I don't move and wait for what she's going to do next. I feel her lean over and turn onto her stomach. I can practically see her face that is inches from mine.

"John, wake up," she hums again. As soon as I feel her lips touch my cheek, I slowly open my eyes. Her face is literally inches away from mine, her lips even closer. I lean my left cheek on my pillow and smile.

"Well, that's a nice thing to wake up to," I say. I take her hand in mine and play with her fingers. I trace small circles with my thumb over the area below her index finger and beside her thumb.

"Every morning I see a nice thing to wake up to. How are you doing sleepy head?" she asks me. I shrug as a response. "John," she says, "I want to know what you're feeling right now." I grin at her and pick my head up off of the pillow.

"Well, I'm wondering why I'm always the one who ends up in a mysterious room when I wake up. But I'm feeling lazy, tired, and I feel like I want to lay here all day with you," I say and give her an upward turn of my lips. She returns it and kisses me lightly on the tip of my nose. Oh how much I want to just crash my lips to hers…

"Well considering it's only 1:00, I don't know if I can do nothing for that long," Sarah says. I give her a devilish grin and stroke my chin.

"You know… we don't have to do _nothing _if you don't want. I'm sure we could find _something _to do."

"Mhmm. Like what?"

"I dunno… maybe something like this?" I gently guide her lips towards mine and when they meet, my body shoots off like a firework. It's not that we haven't done this before, it's just, this is magical and for some reason I'm extremely drawn and attracted to her right now. As soon as our tongues meet, she pulls away, gasping. Her eyes are wide and she looks confused. "Sarah, what's wrong? What did I do?" I'm extremely confused and her facial expression is worrying me.

"No it wasn't you I just… John I don't know how to explain it… I think… I think I just heard what you were thinking." I simply stare at her in disbelief.

"What?" I ask. She nods rapidly.

"Just… I don't know. Were you thinking about how that kiss wasn't like a lot we've had and how you were extremely attracted to me at the moment?" Sarah asks. I can tell she doesn't want me to say yes, but I nod regardless. She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath.

"It's okay. We can ask Patrick about it or I can ask Henri tonight. I've been speaking with him through my dreams lately. Maybe it means you really do love me," I say.

"But I've loved you ever since I got back from Panama," Sarah says in a small voice. I shush her and kiss her lips softly.

"It's okay. Everything is gonna be okay. Trust me," I say while looking deep into her eyes, assuring her that I'm telling the truth. She nods and breathes deeply. "Come here." I open my arms up and she scoots her body into mine. I wrap my arms around her and kiss her collarbone. My hands gently rub her back, tracing small patterns in different areas. I roll onto my back and let her out of my grasp. She puts her head on my chest and pulls the covers over her. "How's Six?"

"She's better I think. I texted Sam because I didn't know if she was awake yet. He said she isn't, but her breathing has become normal and there are only a few bruises on her. We should go see her later though."

"Good. So what even happened?" I ask. I feel her shiver so I reach my arms around her waist. Sarah places her hands on top of mine.

"Well, Kyle started draining the energy from you and it was pretty scary. Patrick had to hold me back so that I wouldn't break Kyle's concentration. I mean, it was like he was killing you. Your face was white even though you were screaming with pain, your body seemed to lose all of its muscle, which would've been a problem for me," she says and leans her head up to wink at me. "But, honestly I was trying as hard as I could to free myself from Patrick and just go run over and hold you. But Kyle got this big ball of green energy in his hands and just like shoved it into Six. It was the weirdest thing ever. She started coughing and moaning, but then her body just sort of glowed and next thing we knew, there was no mess."

I mull the thought of that over in my head. I'm happy as hell that I could help Six and I'm glad she's okay. Six is like my sister and seeing her in that state, moaning and begging for help, made me want to kill myself.

"Well, everyone's okay now," I say and nestle my face into her hair. I take a deep breath and smell Sarah. Smell is a funny thing, you see. It can trigger memories, familiar places, and even everyday things. Every time I smell strawberries, it's Sarah. Usually it's from her shampoo, but even now she still smells the same. It gives me a reason to smile knowing that some things haven't changed.

* * *

><p>Have you ever felt what it's like to hit the concrete from fifteen feet up? Well, I have and it feels like every bone in your body is shattering. As soon as I hit the ground I could feel my right arm had completely broken beyond repair. I could feel the blood covering my body and the bones sticking out of my skin. At first there were random people crowded around me, but next thing I knew John was by my side. He came first and looked at my wounds. I had never seen John cry until then.<p>

Then Sam came and held my neck. I had never seen him cry either, but all I could do was watch as the tears slipped down his face and listen to his pleas for me to live. I saw Five out of the corner of my eye standing there completely frozen. The color had practically drained itself from his body and he just stared at me wide-eyed. I guess I wasn't too beautiful at the moment.

I saw John cry in rage, throw punches at the ground, and beg me to be okay. I never knew how much he cared for me. Next thing I knew, I was yelling silently for Five to stop taking away John's what seemed to be life force, but instead he thrust it into me. After that, everything went black.

As of now, I'm in a sort of dream state. I can sometimes hear what's going on, but then other times things seem like mumbles. Sometimes I can see fractions of light, but it's mostly just moving images. But, I do hear Sam a lot and I see his face. It helps calm me knowing that he's still with me.

Everything suddenly seems bright. All I can see is a bright yellow-white and then it's gone again. I feel my body move for once and I squint my eyes. I let out a breath of relief when I finally see everything come into view. Sam is fixing the curtains so that the sun isn't streaming down on my face. I can see the right side of his face as he pulls the curtains together. His eyes have dark rings below them. He looks older and very tired. He rubs his eyes with one hand and turns to face me.

"Six," he breathes. I give him a small smile and without realizing it, tears start to fall down my face. My bottom lip is trembling out of my control and I'm cursing myself for acting this way. I never act this emotional even around Sam and it's _killing _me. Why couldn't I have just stayed asleep…

Sam rushes to my side and takes my face in his hands. His thumbs wipe away my tears and gently caress my face. I bury my face into his left hand and kiss his palm. I feel his lips touch my forehead making me completely crumble. I turn my face away from his hand, look him straight in the eyes, and pull his lips to mine. My arms desperately cling to him wanting as much as I can get. Without breaking the kiss, Sam climbs up onto the bed and hovers over me for a moment. Then, he slowly falls onto his side and pulls on my waist.

My body feels like one giant bruise, but even as he's kissing me roughly, pulling me towards him, and making my body scream with excitement, I don't care. I don't care about anything else except that I'm alive and I'm here with Sam.

However soon our kisses become softer, gentler, and more loving though still filled with passion. His hands and arms now move along the curves of my body simply tracing them. It sends chills up my spine and I smile into his lips. I open my eyes and catch him watching me. His brown eyes are soft and filled with emotions I never knew I could feel. Sam's hand grazes my cheek and moves a piece of hair out of my eye.

"I thought I had lost you," he whispers.

"You can't get rid of me that easily," I say smirking. Sam rolls his eyes at me and huffs.

"I see that knock on the head didn't fix you after all…" he says with a mock sigh. I smack his arm and grin.

"Shut up!" We both laugh, but there's a knock at the door. "Come in!" I yell.

"It's locked! So stop making out and open the damn door!" a familiar voice calls out. Sam gets up and opens the door. The boy standing behind it makes me smile bigger than I have in a long time. Despite my soreness, I yell his name and make an effort to get out of bed.

"John!"

**I bet you weren't expecting Six to act that way at the end… I realize I've made her kind of soft, but once training starts up she'll be more focused and back to her old, bad-ass, somewhat bitchy self(: Hope you enjoyed!**


	17. Birthdays and Almost Suits

**Hope you liked the last chapter(: I'm taking a request from HSizzles about putting in a little bit of Sarah's point of view so let me know what you think about this chapter. If you have any ideas, please let me know and I'll try and work them into my stuff(: Well, if they're good…**

**HSizzles: I was actually going to put in some Sarah POV this chapter! Weird coincidence!**

* * *

><p>"<em>John!"<em>

Hobbling out of bed I get up and fling myself into him. His strong arms suspend me off the ground and I bury my head into his shoulder. But, then again, it hurts like hell because he has to hold me up.

"Ugh John, still hurt, remember?" I groan. He lets out a small gasp and carefully lowers me to the ground. Sam comes behind me and I use him as a wall for balance.

"Sorry. I'm so glad you're better, Six. You scared the hell out of me!" he says. His eyes shoot a look of worry into mine, but I brush it off. "I'm thinking I should take care of transportation now. You're officially banned from operating motorized vehicles," he says. I snort at him. Does he really think he's going to get me to do that?

"It wasn't even my fault! The dumb ass ran a red light!" I yell and throw my hands up. Mumbling a few curses at him I cross my arms and pout.

"Regardless, we all saw your little skid marks on the road. You're lucky you didn't kill yourself," he says. I clench my jaw and give him the death stare, but he simply returns it. Whatever. It's not like he's going to actually keep me from driving bikes or cars. The day that comes is the day I'll admit to the world that I'm really a freaking mermaid, which is never. "I'm just glad you're okay. I don't know what I'd do knowing that I let you die."

"Shut up, John! Why is it always your fault when something happens, huh? Some things you just can't explain or keep from happening. It's not your fault," I say. Damn it, he's always doing that. Every time someone gets hurt he always blames himself thinking that he could've done something to stop it. He's so thick headed…

"Look, I just feel responsible for everyone, alright? I lost Henri and I don't wanna lose anyone else!" he says. His fists are clenched and I can tell he's trying not to get upset. I feel the same pang in my heart when he says Henri. Our Cêpans were both married and I feel like we have a special connection. Not only that, but our families used to be best friends as well as us. I see Sarah slip her hand into his which makes him let out a deep breath.

"John, you know you can't control everything, right? You have Five and I as well as the other Numbers out there and possibly their guardians to look after them. It'll be okay. Why don't you and Sarah go out tonight or something?" I offer. Everyone stares at me blankly, including Sam, and I take a deep breath readying myself to explain. "Look, I know that I'm basically a drill sergeant about staying hidden and safe, but I trust you enough to keep a low profile. You _need _to take a break and stop taking on all this responsibility. There are five more of us that can handle things for a night, okay? We can start looking for the next Number tomorrow."

John smiles bigger than I've ever seen him before and pulls me into a hug. Despite the pain, I smile into his shoulder. "Thank you," he whispers.

"No, thank you. I know what you did for me. I just…" I can't seem to get the words out. He pulls back waiting for my answer. I bite my lip and simply say, "I just wanted to thank you." He looks at me intently, and I know he can see straight through me, but he shrugs it off. I inwardly groan because I know he'll ask about it later. John leads Sarah out the door, but she takes a step back in and leans towards me.

"Thanks, Six. I know we aren't exactly close or anything, but I think he really needs it and I appreciate it. You and Sam have a good night," Sarah says. She flashes me a smile and gives Sam a wave before closing the door. Sam slips his arms around my waist and puts his mouth close to my ear.

"You could be a little bit friendlier to Sarah, you know," he says softly. I sigh and lean my head against his.

"I know. I just… I don't know why I can't be nicer. I mean I'm fine with you and you're a human so maybe that's not it. It's just… maybe I don't want to see her hurt if John dies. Then what is she going to do? I mean if I died, you'd still have John and Sarah, but her parents think she hates them and she'd have no one else to go to. She'd have you… but then we'd also be together. I just… I don't know, Sam. I really don't." He's silent for a few minutes. "Sam?" I ask.

"Hmm? Sorry, I'm just… processing. You know… I think you're losing your bad ass personality. You're in love with a human, you care about John's girlfriend, you care about how he feels… what's happening to you?" Sam says. I can tell he's grinning devilishly, but I whip around and push my forehead up against his. My eyes pierce holes into his and I clench my jaw.

"What did you say to me, Sam Goode? I could snap you with a flick of my wrist," I state.

"No you couldn't."

"Try me."

* * *

><p>"John! Where are you taking me?" Sarah pleads. I smile at her as we walk down the sidewalk. I look her up and down and lose my breath a little. Her blonde hair is in large, loose curls at the end, her lips are a soft shade of pink, she has in simple gold hoops, and her blue eyes seem to be even bluer than the Caribbean Ocean. She's wearing black V-neck with a thin silver chain that she's always wearing as well as a pair of short tan shorts with black sandals. Despite her having "thrown it on", she looks gorgeous. She eyes me curiously and asks, "What are you looking at?"<p>

"Oh nothing. Just admiring the view," I say. The slightest bit of pink fills her cheeks and I grin. I reach my hand out and she takes it in her own. We continue down the sidewalk until we reach the docks. I lead her along towards a set of wooden stairs that lead to the sand. She stops at the top of them.

"John, where are we going?" Sarah asks.

"Do you trust me?"

"Yeah, but-"

"Then follow me. But take off your sandals." I slip my own brown sandals off and hold them in my left hand. We walk hand-in-hand down the beach until I see the place I'm looking for. A man dressed in a white button down and black pants rolled up at the bottoms is waiting by a tiki lamp for us. There are several tables set up in front of a small clay house and a few local couples are eating there. I can see the candle light from each table and glance at Sarah. She's obviously in shock, but I nudge her so she closes her mouth. The man smiles and walks towards us.

"Welcome! You are John Smith, yes?" he asks. There is a strong Spanish accent behind his words, but I can tell he knows English well.

"Yes, sir. Is our table ready?" I ask him. He extends his arm and leads us to a table that's outside of the fenced in area of tables. It's a good thirty feet away which is perfect because now Sarah and I can talk about whatever we need to without being overheard. We walk over to the table and I take in the scene.

There are four torches surrounding the bamboo trimmed wooden table and chairs, a small candle inside a glass vase in the center, a small vase with a magenta hibiscus flower sticking out, and finally, the full moon overlooking the ocean. Our plates and silverware are laid out on opposite sides of the table and our napkins are folded in intricate designs.

I take Sarah to her seat and pull her chair out for her. She sits down, nods in thanks (and most likely awe), and I sit down myself. The man who sat us comes to take our order.

"I hope everything is to your liking. My name is Ricardo and I'll be your waiter this evening. What would you like to drink?" he asks. I gesture to Sarah who looks at me dumb founded for a moment, before looking at her menu.

"I'll just have a water, thank you," she says.

"Two, please. And everything is perfect," I say. He smiles and walks off to get our drinks. I turn my attention to Sarah who's staring at me in amazement. "What?"

"John… this is beautiful. Why… what… how did you… this is amazing! You shouldn't have done this, honestly. It's perfect," Sarah says.

"Well, I just thought a beautiful, amazing, perfect dinner deserves a beautiful, amazing, perfect girl. Happy Birthday, by the way," I say. Her expression makes me smile from ear to ear. It goes from a, what-the-hell-are-you-talking-about look to a holy-shit-I-forgot-it-was-my-birthday look.

"Oh my God… it is my birthday, isn't it?" Sarah breathes. I nod and lean over the table to give her a peck on the lips. Just then, Ricardo comes out with our waters.

"So, have you decided on anything yet, or should I come back?" he asks.

"Uh, I need some time, please," Sarah says. Ricardo smiles, nods, and walks back towards the restaurant. Sarah and I look at our menus and decide what we want.

The whole dinner we talk, eat, drink, laugh, and have an amazing time. Every time she laughs I feel my chest get warm, every time she smiles it makes me smile in return, and every time I see her face I can feel butterflies in my stomach. After all this time… every time I see her it's like the first time. Soon, we're full and I can't eat another bite. I wipe my mouth with a napkin and see Ricardo appear by my side.

"Well, I hope you both enjoyed your meal. Would either of you care for dessert? Or by the looks of it, I'd say the check?" he asks and chuckles. I grin and nod.

"Yeah, I think the check would be best."

"That's what I figured," he says and puts it on the table. I open it up and see the total. $206.75. I know he added on because we discussed the preparations earlier, but I slip in an extra $100. Ricardo was very warm, generous, and a very good waiter. I hand him the book and as he opens it up he shakes his head. "No, Mr. Smith this is too much, I can't-" I put my hand up in silence.

"You deserve it. Thank you very much. Dinner was more than perfect. I hope you have a good night," I say as I get up. I shake his hand, but he grasps mine with both of his.

"You too, Mr. Smith. And Happy Birthday to you, Mrs. Smith. Thank you very much," Ricardo says gleefully and walks away. As soon as he's out of ear range, Sarah scoffs at me.

"_Mrs. Smith_?" she asks and raises an eyebrow. I laugh and take her by the waist.

"I can dream, can't I?" I ask. Sarah wraps her arms around my neck and puts her face inches from mine.

"I guess so." I stare deeply into her eyes for a moment before closing the space between us.

* * *

><p>The moment I feel his perfect lips on mine, I lean in to him as much as I can. I'm never going to get enough of him and I feel like if I don't do it now, then I never will. His lips dance on mine perfectly and I feel him lift me off the ground. I pull back and land on my feet.<p>

"John, if you do that again I'm going to lose that amazing dinner you paid for," I say. He laughs at me and smiles. God, that smile should be famous. I see it almost every day yet it still makes my stomach do flips. I reach around my waist and pull his hands off slowly. I lock my fingers in his right hand and pull him towards the water. "You wanna take a walk?"

"Oh, a moonlit stroll? I didn't know we were _this _corny," John says and grins at me wickedly. I bump him to the side.

"Oh shut up and walk with me," I say. We walk to the edge of the water where it's slowly washing up then coming back down. The water is calm tonight and the temperature is very warm. The water laps at my ankles and I'm thankful that we're both wearing shorts. John has on long black shorts, a thin maroon V-neck with thick navy stripes, and has his brown sandals in his other hand. He kicks a little water at me and it sprinkles my legs. I return it, but you probably know how _that_ ends up.

John and I are now at war splashing each other with the warm salty water. We're both mostly soaked besides a few dry patches and eventually we tire ourselves out. I walk up to him and give him a playful shove before trying to run away.

"Oh, no you don't!" he calls after me. John catches up to me in a matter of seconds and I immediately feel his steel hard grasp on my waist. He picks me up bridal-style and starts walking further out.

"John! Stop it! No, don't you dare!" I scream. I kick wildly and laugh more than I have in a while. I feel his arms drop me, but I cling to his neck. "You're coming with me," I say. John chuckles and picks me up again. He sloshes his way back to shore before letting me down. I immediately get an idea. Grinning slyly, I get close to him and walk my fingers up his chest.

"You know what we should do?" I ask seductively. He raises an eye brown and waits for me to answer. "Go swimming." Catching on he smiles and pulls his shirt off. I lose my breath every time I see him shirtless. His torso, abdomen, and arms are so well defined that a body builder would be jealous. He has the type of body that makes girls swoon, yet he's all mine. The thought and idea of that makes me grin with delight.

I take my shirt off and thank God that I decided to wear a black bra tonight. I decide to leave my shorts on just in case. The warm breeze tickles my skin and I feel exposed, but John wraps his arms around me immediately warming me up. His arms around me make me feel like I'm home, like I'm safe. We put our clothes in a pile next to our sandals by a tree on the beach and run towards the water's edge. But, as soon as my feet are about to hit the ocean, John scoops me up and slices through the water.

"Put me down!" I scream with a laugh rising in my throat. Wrong choice of words, I know, but don't judge me. I instantly feel his grasp being whisked away and I fall straight into the clear salt water. Thankfully it's as warm as bath water and I let myself sink to the bottom. I let bubbles erupt from my nose and close my eyes. It's the most peaceful feeling I've ever had, well, until John scoops me up once again. As soon as I surface, he lets me on to my own feet.

"What was that for? I was at peace down there, you know," I say. John shrugs and places his hands on my bare sides sending shivers all throughout my body.

"I got lonely," he says with a mocking sigh. He squats into a sitting position and pulls me on to his lap. I tremble with delight and he pulls me even closer. "Are you cold?"

"No," I reply, "it was a good shiver. Like… I get it when my boyfriend smiles and laughs. But, don't tell him that." A small smile plays across my lips as well as his.

"Oh is that so? Tell me about this boyfriend of yours. I hope he doesn't mind us being out here," John says.

"No, I don't think he'd mind as long as you don't try anything _too _drastic. But, he has these gorgeous eyes and smile. They make my knees shake every time I see them. His voice and laugh are probably the most beautiful sounds in the world. I love running my fingers through his golden hair and all along his body. His muscles are so defined that I don't like him without a shirt in public because I don't want anyone else to steal him from me. His lips are perfect and I could kiss them all day if I could. But, the best part is that he makes me feel like I'm home and that I'm safe. There's no other feeling in the world like it when he holds me tight. I could stay in his arms forever."

John's smile grows bigger and bigger with every word that falls out of my mouth, and soon, he's grinning from ear to ear. I give him a small side smile before relaxing my lips and looking off at the moon.

"Can I tell you something about him though? Something that I haven't told him yet?" I ask. I feel my stomach start to bubble in anticipation, but his hands find their way on top of mine.

"Of course," John says softly.

"Promise you'll keep it a secret?" I ask and look straight into his eyes. He bows his head a little bit and tips my chin up.

"I promise."

"I haven't told him how much I love him. I haven't told him that before we got here, I didn't know if he felt the same. I had my doubts, but now I realize how much he loves me. I still had the stupid idea of him and this other beautiful girl together and the images wouldn't get out of my mind. My mind still wandered to past guys to be honest. But, now I see how stupid I was being because none of them compare to this guy. There's so much I can't explain about him. I've realized though that I love him more than life itself and I'm completely sure about it. I always will love him and I'll never let him go." I'm breathing deeply at this point and I can't see John's face. Then I hear it.

_I love you too, Sarah. How could she not think that I love her the same way? It's so frustrating that she can't understand that I'm nothing without her. I will _never _stop loving that girl. _

Before he can speak I reply, "I'll never stop loving you either, John." I whip my head around and see his mouth open.

"You heard me again," he breathes. I nod slightly.

"It's because we really are in love… I think," I say. I expect him to smile, but instead he looks up at the stars. I tentatively place a hand on his cheek. I feel his stubble rub against my palm as I gently stroke his cheek with my thumb. "John, what's wrong?" He looks at me intensely and begins to open his mouth, but shuts it.

_Sarah, the only way we couldn't be in love is if you didn't love me back. If you were thinking about past guys… then maybe… _His mind goes silent and he looks away. I pull his face harshly back to me.

"I told you that I _was _thinking about them. Don't you understand how completely and utterly in love I am with you? I'm in love with _you_. I've realized that I don't love John Smith who's the boy from Santa Fe or who likes eating ridiculous amounts of pancakes," I say. I see his mind flicker back to the days were in home economics together. It seems like it was a lifetime ago. "I'm in love with Number Four, the man who's from Lorien and who falls in love with one lucky girl, for life."

His lips crash on to mine in a matter of seconds after the last word slips out of my mouth. They taste of salt water, but it's also a slightly sweet taste. I love the way that his mouth and tongue kiss me expertly, the way his hands seem to know all of the right places to be, the way he always knows what to say, and the way he loves me with every part of him. At that moment, John lets out a small gasp and pulls away. My eyes question him, but he instantly smiles.

"I heard you."

**I hope you liked this chapter! I hope those of you who wanted Sarah's POV were happy with this chapter as well! Review! Review! REVIEW!**


	18. Is That A Promise Or A Threat?

**MERRY CHRISTMAS! Or Hanukkah or Kwanza or whatever! I'm not being politically correct here because frankly it's stupid. Anyhow, I probably won't put out another chapter until after New Year's. Sorry guys… I have a life… but I really appreciate all the reviews from everyone! They mean SO much to me! Anyhow, I hope you're enjoy the story!(:**

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><p>"Fine, fine! I tap, I tap!" Sam yells. I smirk at him as I release his body from my death grip. His legs are locked behind mine, his arms are pulled behind his head, and his face is smashed against the ground. He rubs his wrists and glares at me from the ground. "It's not fair! You have super human strength!"<p>

"_You're _the one who wanted to see who would win! It's not my fault that I kicked your scrawny little ass!" I yell mad with laughter. Sam looks at me, rolls his eyes, and crosses his arms.

"For the record, I'm not scrawny. I'm slim," he says. I snort and pull my hair up in a tight pony tail.

"Well turn your _slim _little self around. I'm changing and you should be too. I'm not letting you get out of training this time. Patrick wants to train you and Sarah. And before you start complaining, it's only while we work with our powers. Then you both can join our physical work out," I say. I peel off my shirt and glance over my shoulder to make sure Sam was turned around. As expected, he wasn't. "Stop being a pervert!" Muttering to himself, he turns and removes his own clothing. I pull on a black running sports bra and a pair of workout shorts. I pull on a zipped sweatshirt to wear through the hotel as well as a black of shoes.

It's been two weeks since the accident. Last week I grew restless and ended up going for a jog which of course scared the hell out of everyone since no one knew where I was, but then they agreed we could start training again. Officially, we haven't started, but I've been working out with John in the gym at the hotels. He's grown close to me like a brother. He's also good company and a great listener. He tells me about Sarah and I tell him about Sam, but we often end up trying to remember our families and planet.

Now Five is a different story. I rarely see him except for when we go over plans or discuss where we feel we should head. Currently, we're in a small town called Santa Teresa, one of those small places where the restaurants have dirt floors, everyone knows everyone, and church is basically mandatory. My type of place, huh? Yeah, right.

But John and I were talking last night on the roof. It's been a habit since we were in Georgia. He told me that he felt like something might be here. I feel the same way. I can't explain what it is… but it's almost as if there's a map programmed in my head leading me to each Number. If I find myself looking one way, my feet take me in another direction. It's like we're all a bunch of magnets slowly attracting towards each other.

"You ready?" I hear Sam ask. I nod and slide a room key in my pocket. I don't really need it due to the fact that I can: A) Simply break the door in half or B) Open it with my mind, but hey, where's the fun in that when I can act normal for a little bit?

We walk down the hall and I pound on John's door. As soon as my fist hits the door it swings open and I'm facing John. Immediately I draw a breath in when I see him. His shirt is off and his muscles are definitely well-defined. His whole body and torso are sculpted well, his abdomen basically making a girl swoon, and his arms bigger than any I'd ever seen before, yet John was the gentlest person I've ever met. The way he looks at you makes you melt, the way his voice shows concern makes you want to hug him and never let him go, but mostly when he holds you and makes you feel safe… it makes you want to stay there forever. Catching me looking at him, I quickly clear my throat.

"Uh, you ready? Sam and I were just heading down," I say and look at the ground.

"Yeah, Sarah should be out-" John starts, but Sarah pops up beside him.

"Now," she finishes and hands him a shirt. "Put this on will you? I don't want anyone trying to steal you from me," Sarah says pointedly looking at me. She flashes a subtle smile and winks before walking past me, grabbing John's hand in the process. I quickly shut my mouth hoping Sam caught none of that and, knowing Sam, he didn't.

"Come on," I say pulling on Sam's wrist. We four make our way through the back door of the hotel and into the woods. I lead us to the open field I found last week when I went on my jog.

I had been just finishing up my run when I spotted a girl. She was maybe two inches taller than me, definitely Hispanic, jet black hair that stopped at her waist, and a lean build. Her face was calm, but cautious, obviously looking at her surroundings making sure she hadn't been followed. I had turned invisible, intrigued by the girl. I felt an odd connection to her, but I didn't know what. She looked too weak to be a Number or a Mog, so I still don't know why I followed her that day.

She bounded into the forest and I followed her down a dirt path. There, I came upon a large field. But the girl didn't stop and instead ran off to the right. I didn't dare follow her though for there were dead leaves littering the ground and I didn't want to be discovered. But, the location of the field was sufficient enough to use as a training ground. Far enough away from the hotel that no one would hear or discover us, but also so the girl might find us.

Exiting the trees, I see Patrick and Five already set up. When my eyes fell upon Five, I'm sure my mouth dropped at least an inch. His muscles are _huge. _His arms have to be bigger than my thighs! His abs are so cut that they look freaking photo shopped! Jesus Christ… my hormones are raging today aren't they?

I throw my sweatshirt down under as tree as do John, Sam, and even Sarah. I must admit, the girl isn't as fragile as she seems. She must have worked out or something before all of this because you can slightly see the muscles in her arms when she moves them and her stomach is almost as cut as mine. Not overly cut, I might add. That's simply gross.

"John and Five, you're with me. Sarah and Sam, you're with Patrick until we can all work on the same things," I say. I grin devilishly at John and Five. "Get ready for hell, boys." Five has a smug look on his face, but John rolls his eyes at him. He knows how I am and he knows what's coming. I just hope Five can keep up. As soon as I turn, I take off with John close behind. Five, as I look over my shoulder, wasn't ready and now almost thirty feet behind, he starts to follow. John and I laugh almost in sync and pick up the pace.

Soon, we're bounding over logs, swinging from branches, jumping over gaps, and hitting things with our powers in the process. John shoots Lumen, I use whatever element I can, we both use our minds, and Five gathers energy from the life around us.

I have to say, Five sort of scares me with his power. The thought of him getting angry enough to use it could kill someone and I have a feeling his temper is about as long as mine. Which isn't good.

Soon I jog to a stream and we take a breather. "Alright, take a five minute rest. We're half-way there, boys." They both groan and I turn back to the water. It's moving pretty quickly so I figure it's safe to drink. I bend down and cup the cool liquid in my hands, almost cherishing it. I splash it over my face and gulp some down, but careful not to drink too much. As soon as I get up I turn around to see John beating the hell out of Five.

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><p>Finally we come to a stop and I let out ragged breaths as I bend over. Five is pretty much in the same state as I am except that he looking at Six. Again. I nudge him and furrow my brow.<p>

"Alright, what the hell's with you looking at Six all the time, huh? It's creepy," I whisper. Five looks shocked at first, but then relaxes into a slick smile.

"Dude, can you not see how hot she is? Oh wait, you're all over the other chick. Still… she's got such a tight little body. I'd love to get a chance at _that_," he says while raising his eye brows. It sets something off in me because the first thing I want to do is take my fist and ram it into his thick ugly skull, but I control my temper and shake my head.

"Yeah right. She's _in love _with Sam. There's no way in hell she'd ever do that to him. And if you got to know her more you'd learn that she isn't as tough as she seems," I say. I instantly regret it knowing that if Five says anything to Six she'll beat the crap out of me. Five gives me a short laugh before sending me over the edge.

"Well, if I take care of Sam then it won't be a problem. He's slowing us down anyhow. And what about your girl? Humans don't fall in love for life and she's kind of my type." And that's when hell breaks loose.

I send my fist slamming into his nose, breaking it, and launch Five into a tree. Instantly, I'm on top of him pounding my fists into his face not even remembering that I have powers.

"John!" Six yells. I feel an arm pull on my shoulder, but I swat it off. Honestly, I thought Five would put up more of a fight, but he simply lays there trying to protect his face from further damage. I'm about to hit him one last time when I feel something connect with my side, sending me hurdling off of Five. I look up to see what it was, but soon a hand has grabbed the back of my head and ripped me upwards.

"What the hell are you doing! We're training to beat the Mogadorians, not each other you jack ass! Now tell me what the hell that was about!" Six yells. Her face is red with fury and her hand is so tight around the hairs on the back of my neck that I feel they're going to rip off.

"He… was saying… shit about you… Sam… and Sarah. Sorry… if I was… trying to… protect you!" I yell through grimaces. Six looks as if she's going to punch me, but her face softens a bit at the last second and she simply releases me. She goes over to where Five is laying, chest and face red with blood, and helps him up.

"You're lucky he was the one who heard you. It would've been worse if I had. Now go. Run back or I'll beat you myself," Six says to him through clenched teeth. Five glares at me before disappearing through the woods. Six glances over at me and offers her hand for help. I grasp it and pull myself up. I rub the back of my neck and Six's mouth twitches.

"Sorry about that. I just don't want us to start fighting among our own kind. It was bad enough in the beginning with us bickering constantly. Imagine what's going to happen when we find everyone," Six says. We stroll down the path and she kicks at a rock. We see a trail of red down the path, but I know Five made it back. I didn't hurt him too bad… I hope.

"It's okay. I overreacted. But he just made me so mad that I couldn't control myself and… I just lost it," I say and clench my fists. Six puts a hand on my shoulder and squeezes it lightly. It's a comforting gesture and it makes me relax. Honestly though, I need Sarah. She's the _only _one who can calm me down, keep me at peace.

We walk in a relaxed silence for a few minutes until Six speaks. "What did he say to you to make you so mad?" she asks. I take a deep breath before repeating what he said. Six says a few colorful words about him and how she's going to kick the crap out of him until we both break out into laughter.

"God, I love you Six," I say as I catch my breath from laughing. Six looks up at me, horrified, but I grin and wrap my arm around her shoulder. "You're mental to even go there. I mean, I love you as a friend, no… a sister. I feel responsible for you more than anyone besides Sarah and I feel like I can tell you anything. You can understand what I'm going through and you're always there for me. Sure, you have a hell of a personality, but on the inside you're typical girly girl," I say and tease her with the last part. Six shoves me off of her and punches my arm. "Ow!" I yell and rub my arm.

"Never call me a girly girl again, John Smith or I'll make sure you never see the light of day again," Six says with a smirk on her face.

"Is that a threat?" I challenge.

"No," she says simply. "It's a promise." We both laugh and finally reach the field. Five is sulking beneath a tree with his shirt balled up under his nose while Patrick is just finishing up with Sam and Sarah. I glance over at Sarah and instantly gawk at her. Her body is so flawless that it seems unreal. Her arms have just the right amount of thickness and muscle to them (not too skinny, but not too muscular), her calf and thigh muscles tense with every movement, and her stomach is toned just right to where her sides are barely cut. She catches my eye and winks before nodding to my own body. My face flushes red, but she rolls her eyes and continues to focus.

"Damn, you're more hormonal than I am…" Six mumbles. I send her a questioning look, but she brushes it off. We walk over to the tree and slip our clothes on. I slide down the trunk and lean against as does Six.

"So Sarah and I can hear each others' thoughts," I say and take a sip of water from my bottle. Six turns to me with her mouth agape.

"Are you serious? You know what that means right?" she asks. I quickly shake my head. A grin spreads on her face like no other. "On Lorien, once a man or woman fell in love, they would start hearing that person, but it wouldn't really be them at first. It would be a figment of their imagination. If the other fell in love with you, then you'd be able to hear each other, have conversations with each other, and sometimes even feel what that other person was feeling. That's great, John!"

"But, I've loved Sarah since I first kissed her. Why couldn't I hear her then?" I ask. Six scratches her jaw and looks off towards the sky before answering.

"I honestly can't tell you. Love between two Loriens is different than love between a human and a Lorien. It probably just took longer because Sarah's human." I nod at her answer and shrug.

"Have you and Sam…?" I start, but Six shakes her head. I leave it at that, not wanting to intrude on their privacy. Good timing too, for Sarah and Sam walk over at that exact moment. I leap up and lean in to kiss Sarah, but she backs up.

"No! I'm all gross and sweaty! You can kiss me _after _I shower," she teases while pulling on her shirt. I roll my eyes and take her hand. I pull her close enough so I can whisper to her.

"You're beautiful all the time," I whisper and kiss her cheek which of course turns pink. "And I learned something pretty interesting from Six that I'd like to talk to you in private about." Sarah turns to me with a questioning expression, but I pretend not to see it and just continue walking towards the hotel. We walk into the hotel and walk up the stairs with Six and Sam. We get off at the third floor, but before Six and Sam enter their room, Sarah stops them.

"I almost forgot! It's Christmas! Do you guys want to go to dinner tonight?" she asks. Noticing Six and I about to object, she adds, "Just us four, I mean." I shrug and look at the other two.

"Dinner sounds great! I'm starving!" Sam says. Six snorts.

"It's three o'clock in the afternoon. Plus, you're _always _hungry, but I'm up for it," Six says. Sam shouts with glee before returning to his room. Sarah and I start to walk away, but Six pulls me back.

"Uh John, will you meet me on the roof at four thirty? I need to talk to you," she says. I can't place what she's feeling, but I simply nod and tell her I'll be there. Then I catch up with Sarah and we enter our little room.

The place isn't a city. Santa Teresa is a small town surrounded by lots of forests and jungles, dirt roads, and small mud houses. This hotel, _Casa de Helen_, is one of the few buildings without a dirt floor and is made with actual stone. The only other semi-modern building is a stone convent on the other side of town. The room here is simply a bedroom with a small closet, a bed, a bedside table, a bulky air conditioner, and a bathroom where you can shower, use the toilet, and brush your teeth all at the same time. Regardless, it's a room with Sarah so I could be staying in shack made out of leaves for all I care.

As soon as I close the door I rush to the bathroom sans my clothes except for a pair of underwear and lock the door. I hear Sarah groan in defeat since I got the shower first. I hear a bang on the door which was probably her fist or head.

"John!" she whines, "It's like a thousand degrees in here! And I think the AC is broken! Please let me go first," Sarah pleads. I stick my head out the door and grin at her. "Here we go…" she mutters.

"Why don't you just come in with me?" I ask wiggling my eyebrows. Sarah looks shocked for a minute, but then looks thoughtful.

"How about I go in with you, but we both keep our underwear on?" she asks trampling my hopes and dreams. "Including my bra, before you ask." I give her a phony groan, but sigh and agree.

"Wait! Before I let you in, you have to kiss me," I say. Sarah frowns.

"Why is that?" she asks.

"Because we have to keep our clothes on of course. And why _wouldn't _you want to kiss your perfectly handsome boyfriend?" I ask her. Sarah rolls her eyes at me.

"Because he's being too arrogant," she says. I laugh, but still refuse to open the door. "Fine!" she yells at last. I open the door, but Sarah runs underneath my arm. But, not before my arms catch her waist.

"Oh, no you don't!" I say and pull her close. I poke my head around her shoulder, but she looks the other way. "Fine. I guess I'll just have to stand like this until I get what I want. And I can shut the door and all you'll smell is me and my sweat."

"I think that's a form of torture."

"Well, we're not in the United States anymore so I think it's perfectly legal."

My arms stay wrapped around her waist for a few minutes before she finally gives in. "You're such a baby," Sarah mutters. I laugh and let her turn around. She snakes her arms around my neck and lifts herself up on the balls of her feet to reach. I place my hands lightly on her sides and lean in, but once again, she leaps for it. This time however, she makes it.

"Victorious!" Sarah yells before giving me an evil laugh. I shake my head at her, but step into the shower behind her. Sarah slips off her shorts and shirt which leaves me breathless. When I see her this way it actually makes me shiver. I can tell she senses it by the way she hides her smile from me. She flips on the water, and I'm instantly cooled, but after a moment or two I feel Sarah shivering.

"Too cold?" I ask her. She nods and wraps her arms around herself. Having washed off, I wrap my arms around her as well. I turn up the heat a little, but it takes a while for the water to warm up. I place my hand on the faucet and send my Lumen through the pipes, heating them. After a few seconds, warm water starts flowing out.

"Thanks," Sarah says. She turns to me and wraps her arms around my neck. Her body is pressed against mine, her eyes are looking directly at my lips, and her mouth is inches away from mine. I can feel her warm breath on my bottom lip. Sarah hesitates for a moment before lightly pressing her lips to mine. It's a sweet kiss at first, but she pulls away slightly and surges her lips forward onto mine. Her hands pull my head towards her while mine find their way to her sides. I lean up against the tile wall and hoist her up. Sarah locks her legs around my waist and I slowly and carefully slide down to the bottom of the tub. Our kisses become light and sweet and soon, we stop kissing and simply catch our breath.

I look into her eyes as she looks into mine and we both smile. I press my forehead up against hers and kiss her lightly on the lips one last time.

"See… I told you that… you should wait… until I… showered," Sarah breathes. I chuckle and brush my lips across her forehead. "Do you even know how much I love you right now?"

"Not as much as I love you, that's for sure." I answer.

"You're impossible."

"And you're beautiful."

"You can't compliment me after I insult you!" Sarah says and swats at my arm. I roll my eyes and lean my forehead up against hers again.

"Well, I just did."

"You _are _impossible John Smith, but I'll love you until I can't love anymore."

"Is that a promise?"

"Definitely."

**Woooooh! Yay for a long chapter! Okay so… scratch that Maximum Ride thing… I'm thinking about Dear John now. Nicholas Sparks pretty much ruined my life with that book so now I need to set things straight with that! I'll let you know when it's up! REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! Thanks!**


	19. Perfect? Not Even Close

**Word… I'm on Chapter 19… well don't I feel accomplished? I swear, writing this is taking over my life. I was at dinner the other night and it was like this:**

**Me: Mom, we need to get home ASAP.**

**Mom: Why?**

**Me: I need to go write.**

**Mom: You're addicted aren't you?**

**Me: Hey! You should be happy that's **_**all **_**I'm addicted to!**

**Hehe… funny conversation. I was freaking out all night man, FREAKING OUT! And am I the only one who saw him as like a seventeen year old? Fifteen seems too young…**

**Clay19: They already are **_**sleeping **_**together ;)**

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><p>I pull on the clothes I wore when I went out to dinner for my birthday. I smile at them consciously for all of the memories of that night come flooding in. I remember the way we kicked water at each other, the way the warm salt ocean felt around my skin, but mostly the way he held me and I told him all that I was feeling. I'm so irrevocably in love with John that I fear I'll never love anything else again. But, if John died then that'd be okay because I'd never forgive myself if I fell in love again.<p>

"Sarah? What are you wearing out? I don't want to look like a complete and total slob next to you," John says from the bedroom. I'm in the bathroom drying and brushing my hair out. I've decided that I'll just wear it straight because honestly I'm too tired from training to want to do anything.

"I'm wearing the clothes I wore on my birthday," I say. He doesn't respond, but I figure he's going to do the same thing. Finally, I finish brushing my hair and reach for my shorts. Damn it. I must have left them in the bedroom _and _I'm only wearing black underwear besides my shirt. Here we go with John's ogling…

I walk out the door casually so he doesn't notice, but of course he does. He looks up giving me one of his smiles that make my stomach flutter, but then he looks down and wiggles his eye brows. I roll my eyes at him and pick up the shorts I dropped on the floor. I slip them on and walk over to John.

"Why are you such a guy?" I ask as I slip my arms around his waist from behind. He glances over his shoulder and grins.

"Would you rather me be a woman?" he asks. I laugh and lean my head on his back. My fingers graze his stomach and it sends chills throughout my body.

"No, of course not. I'd be in a very awkward position if you were, but I'd appreciate it if you didn't look at me like that all the time. I hate it when I blush," I say. It's terrible. My face gets all hot and red and I tend to stumble over words. John turns to face me and I lose my breath. Good God that boy has a nice looking body…

"You're cute when you blush," he says which of course makes my face grow pink. "Plus, you're doing the same thing now." I scoff at him jokingly and punch his arm before putting my arms around his neck.

"Am not," I retort.

"Are too."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"I hate you," I say in defeat. He chuckles.

"Yeah, yeah. I know. You hate me _so _much, right?" he questions. I smirk at him.

"More than you'll ever know," I reply before giving him a short, sweet kiss on the lips. He smiles into my lips then kisses my forehead before releasing me.

"So where are we going tonight? Or do you even know yet?" John asks. I shrug and dig around in my bag for my sandals. "They're under the bed," John says. I bend over and lift the sheet hanging down over the edge. I reach under and feel for them, but there's nothing. I get down on my knees and look, but again, there's only floor and dust.

"John, I don't-" I start to say, but when I turn around he's smirking at me and wiggling his eyebrows. And yet, I thought having an alien boyfriend would make him different than most guys. Sadly, I was mistaken.

"You're such a pervert!" I yell and smack him on the bicep. As I turn away I can't help but smile at his trick. He laughs at his own genius idea of getting a good look at my butt and retreats to the bathroom. I shake my head and continue to look for my sandals, but there's a knock at the door. "One sec!" I yell. I walk over and look through the peephole and see Kyle standing outside. Cautiously, I open the door.

"Hey, Sarah. Is John here?" he asks. His voice is rugged with a hint of an Italian accent. There's a strip of tape over his nose and bruising under his eyes. His lip had been obviously busted and his face is discolored. Serves him right though from what John told me.

"Yeah, he's in the bathroom. He should be out in a few. What do you need?" I ask sternly. John told me about how Kyle tried to tell him that he was going to make a move on Six or me and it infuriated me so much that John had to block our door. Kyle looks at me with guilt present in his eyes and lets out a deep breath.

"Look, I came to apologize about today. I was being an asshole and I guess I was just jealous. You and Six are just beautiful and I guess I was just envious of the guys, especially John," he says. It takes me by surprise that he said John's name instead of Sam's.

"Why John?" I blurt out. I mentally kick myself for asking him, but he looks up at me surprised by my question. He gives me a small laugh before smiling sadly.

"Because he has you of course. You're gorgeous, sweet, funny-"

"And also taken," a deep voice says from behind me. Strong hands gently place themselves on my waist, but I want nothing more than to take them off of me. I mean, Kyle _is _trying to apologize, but John's just making it hard. Still, I can see where he's coming from. If Kyle fell in love with me, then both of them would love me forever. I would choose John in a heartbeat, but the guilt would eat at me forever.

"Oh, hey John. Listen I was just coming by to apolo-" Kyle starts, but John stops him.

"I heard most of it. You're forgiven. Now we have to get ready so I'll see you later, okay?" John says. Kyle nods and gives me a small goodbye before walking away. John shuts the door and growls with anger. "I can't stand that guy!" John says. I put my hands on my hips and look at him.

"You know, he was _trying _to apologize, but you really made it hard. Couldn't you have at least faked that it was okay?" I ask. John looks up at me with complete and utter betrayal in his eyes. I stand my ground though because he's being completely irrational.

"You weren't there, Sarah! You didn't hear the way he talked about Six. That I could handle, but when he started on you… I just lost it," John says through a clenched jaw. His fists are balled up at his sides and I can see they're beginning to get bright.

"John, you _know _that some guy isn't just going to come in and sweep me off my feet, right? Just because I'm human doesn't mean that we go and fall in love with a bunch of people," I say. I can feel my voice rising, but I try to control it.

"It's not the same! Can you imagine if he fell in love with you? In love with Six? Do you know how hard that'd be for Sam and I? Humans fall in and out of love all the time! I've seen it!" John yells, not even trying to control himself. God, he's acting like such an ass right now! He's being so stupid! And to think, we're actually _fighting _about loving each other.

"Why does it always come down to Six, huh? She's Loric so if she loves Sam, then it doesn't matter, does it? I highly doubt that Five will be after Sam so why the hell does Six matter right now?" I hiss at him. Honestly, I can't think straight, but the whole idea of John and Six together has been nagging at me since I met her. She's too perfect, he's too perfect… you get the picture.

John looks at me dumbfounded before opening his mouth to speak. "Well, what if Henri was wrong? What if we can't fall in love with humans? I'm just trying to protect her! She's like my sister!" he yells. Angry tears are starting to well up, but I don't dare let any fall.

"If she's like your sister then maybe you fell in love with her a long time ago! Like you said, maybe you can't be in love with me!" My eyes are locked with his and the minute the last word leaves my mouth, a flash of pure resentment sparks in his eyes before they soften. It's the last thing I want to see. The worst feeling in the world for me is seeing John in pain and this just makes my tears release like a waterfall. They turn from ones of anger to ones of sadness in a heartbeat and John takes a step towards me. "Don't!" I yell and back up. The room plays against me though, for now I'm backed up against the door.

John slowly walks towards me and I try to yell at him to stop, but the words get caught in my throat. The only thing that comes out is more tears and sobs. I start to sink to my knees, but John's there catching me in an instant. His hands hold me up, but I don't want him to touch me. I don't want him _near_ me. My hands grab his shirt and I try to push him away, but he only stands firm. Finally, I collapse into him.

His hand strokes my hair soothingly as I bury my face into his chest. I feel like we stand there for an eternity. I cry harder than I ever have before and John just stands there and holds me like a little kid. However, soon my sobs become quieter and I feel like I'll never be able to cry again. I open my eyes and see that his shirt has a dark spot on it and I laugh at it stupidly.

"I ruined you shirt," I mumble. John looks at me, but I stay concentrated on the wet spot. I see his hand hover over it, glow, and then move. The shirt is completely dry. His hand tentatively touches my chin and tilts it up. The minute I see his chocolate eyes, my heart breaks a little. He looks like a lost puppy. His eyes are full of sadness and guilt, worry and regret, but mostly, they look old and seem like they've seen so much more than any seventeen year old should have to see.

"Sarah, I'm so sorry," John says. I even hear his voice quiver a little which lets me know that he truthfully is. It means that he's afraid of what I'll say or that he's afraid of losing me. It makes me realize how much I love him. I love how he's always the first to apologize even when it's never his fault. I love how the only reason he fights is to protect someone. But really, I just love every single part of him; the good, the bad, all of it.

"I'm sorry too," I almost whisper. My voice is hoarse from crying so much and my throat is really dry. I sniff and awkwardly grab my arm. He cocks his head to the side a little and turns his lips into a small smile.

"You know, it's really sad that we were just fighting about loving each other when I know for a fact that we do," he says. I cough out a small laugh and clear my throat.

"I thought you said that Henri-" I start to say, but John interrupts me.

"Never mind what I said. I was out of line and I was just being an asshole. Today, when I was with Six, I told her about us being able to hear each other. She told me on Lorien when two people fell in love that they'd be able to hear each other and talk through their minds. She thinks the only reason we didn't earlier is that you're a human." I soak in the words and just nod. John looks at me, pleading, to forgive him. I only nod again, more fiercely this time, and jump into his arms.

"I love you so much," I whimper into his ear. Damn, I hate feeling this way. It just makes me feel even more fragile then I should compared to them.

"I love you, Sarah. I love you, I love you, I love you," John repeats. My arms are wrapped around his neck as his are around my waist. He starts rubbing my back and kissing my neck so naturally I'm relieved. I relax into the shape of his body more and lean back. John leans in, but only kisses my forehead. I hate it when he does that. He gets me all happy and excited, but instead he has to go and trick me.

I pull his face away from me and he gives me a confused and slightly worried look. This is called revenge. I look down and breathe in shakily. I even go as far as to sniff a little bit. Right as he's about to ask if I'm okay, I look back up at him and flash a grin before crashing his lips to mine.

Is it too cliché to say that I melted? Because it's true. As soon as his lips hit mine my body turned into jelly. The way he feels, the way he smells, the way he knows exactly what to do, all of it just makes me melt. It's a nice kiss too because neither of us try anything. We just standing there with our lips pressed together.

As soon as I break it he brings our foreheads together. "Sarah, I'm sorry. I was totally out of line. You had a right to be upset about Six and I. We walk around and talk like we're brother and sister all the time and I know that it's hard to accept that Loriens only love one person. Jealousy is natural for humans to feel and I should've realized that and I just feel so terrible and-"

"John, if you don't stop talking I'm actually going to jump on the bed and cover my head with a pillow, while screaming, hoping for you to be quiet and forgive yourself. It's okay. I forgive you," I say while looking deep into his eyes. He opens his mouth to talk again, but I glare at him and he shuts it quickly. "I understand where you're coming from. I know that you're completely and irreversibly in love with me and that it's hard watching some other guy try and make a move on me. But I'm not _ever _going to leave you. Ever. Now this whole discussion is over and I'm going to put on some makeup so I can look decent enough to go out to dinner." I start to walk towards the bathroom, but his hands grabs mine and pulls me back into him.

"You're amazing, Sarah Hart. I don't know what I'd do without you," John murmurs to me. A smile dances across my lips and I take his face in my hands.

"I don't know what you'd do either," I say and wink. He rolls his eyes and releases me to the bathroom where a shut the door with a huge grin plastered across my face.

* * *

><p>Dinner was amazing. Six found this small restaurant a little bit out of town that was nicer than anything in Santa Teresa. The place overlooked the river and everyone had a great time. John and I stayed glued to each others' side the entire time so we could make up for our fight earlier. Sam and Six of course joked us, but not after we made a few cracks about them.<p>

Six looked gorgeous as usual. Her hair was up in a loose bun and curls of hair cupped her face. She wore a simple pair of dark blue jeans and a nice white tank top, but she still looked amazing. Sam, of course being Sam, looked like a goofball in his white button down, but I think Six liked it since she couldn't top staring at him. John was only concentrated on me the entire time too which of course made my face as red as a tomato. Overall, it was a good night.

Now John and I are almost ready for bed. I swear, we could actually be a married couple. We strip to our underwear in front of each other (and that's how I'd like it for a while..), we know where each others' possessions are, we both know what the other likes, and we're completely comfortable with telling the other anything.

"Sarah, are you almost ready to go to bed?" John calls from the bed. I spit in the sink and rinse my toothbrush and mouth before hitting the bathroom light.

"Yep," I say as I crawl into bed beside him. John snaps the lights off and kisses me on the lips. I snuggle into him with my back to his chest and he puts his arms around me. I pull one of his legs in between mine and rub his calf soothingly with my top foot.

"I'm sorry for fighting with you today. I never want to fight with you again," John says.

"I'm sorry too. I hated that. But I hope you know that we'll probably fight in the future. Nobody's perfect," I say. I feel his face and his kiss on the top of my head, but then he props his chin up lightly on my head.

"Perfect? Not even close. But I think that we're closer than anyone else in the universe," John says. I grin and shake my head softly.

"You're so full of crap," I say. We both laugh, but as soon as we fall silent I hear him gasp. "What?" I ask and whip my head around.

"Close your eyes," John says. I do and soon I feel his hands graze my neck. He pulls my hair off of back and drapes it over my shoulder. Cold metal hits my neck and I instantly cringe, but soon it starts to warm up. I can tell something is starting to glow and right as I'm about to ask, I hear John's voice in my ear. "Open."

I open my eyes and look down. There's a silver necklace around my neck, but it's not any necklace you could ever find at a store. It's John's. The necklace that labels him as Number Four. The usual blue part of his pendant is now glowing a soft orange. As soon as I touch it however, it turns blue again.

"What's this for?" I breathe.

"Merry Christmas," John whispers before leaning over and kissing me. This time, I don't hold back.

After over thirty minutes of kissing, apologies, and continuous statements proclaiming our love for each other, we fall asleep in each others' arms. And I swear that I fall asleep with a smile on my face.

**Yeah, I know, I know. It's not my best and it could use a lot more detail, but I kind of just wanted to get a chapter out. Next chapter is number twenty though so it should be a pretty big one! Gonna be lots of twists in the next one! I hope you enjoyed a whole chapter of Sarah's POV too(: Reviews are always appreciated as usual! So:**

**REVIEW POR FAVOR! Oh, look… I can speak Spanish without Google Translate ;) Someone tell me if I was **_**way **_**off for that chapter…**


	20. Fights, Findings, and Fate

**Thanks for all the reviews guys(: I love ALL of them! Since you guys are so good about letting me know what you think I'll just answer you here!**

**2whitie: I don't know… I guess you'll have to wait and see ;)**

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**aBrokenJar: Thanks! And I guess you'll see after you finish this chapter ;)**

**As always, keep reviewing! Hehe… I feel so cool knowing that I have the seventh most reviews out of the Lorien Legacies category ;) But… I NEED TO BE NUMBER ONE! Wait, he died… never mind. Anyhow, here's your story!**

**CAUTION: It's long ;)**

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><p>"She's close," I had said. John nodded in agreement. I could tell he felt the pull towards this small town, too. After I told him about the girl in the forest, he said it was possible that she was a Number so we should probably keep a close watch on the general area, which was basically the town. Both of us agreed that it was probably a girl due to the fact that I'm outnumbered two to one right now. We spoke the afternoon before dinner last night. John told me about his fight with Sarah, too and honestly, it broke my heart hearing it. I know I'm not super emotional and all that, but I could tell that he was really angry at himself. He pulled me aside at dinner to tell me they had made up, so it's all good.<p>

Speaking of dinner, it was fantastic. We all joked each other the whole night and I think I laughed harder than I have in a long time. The food was great, John and Sarah looked fantastic, and they seemed like a young couple that had just gotten married. The fact that Sam looked really good didn't hurt either… I kept trying not to stare at him, but it was hard not to.

He had on a white button up shirt, dark jeans, casual black shoes, and he shaved. Personally, I like him when he has some stubble, but it was a nice change. He looked very handsome and really grown up. It made me blush every time I felt his hand on my back or he whispered something sweet to me. All the little things he does drives me insane, but the good insane, if you know what I mean.

As of now, Five and I are in his room. Sadly, John, Sarah, Sam, and Patrick are driving to the city getting food and supplies. Why they need four people, I don't know. John probably went to protect Patrick who knows what we need and I doubt Sam or Sarah wanted to sit round and do nothing while Five and I went over some plans. Lucky me.

"So, you think that Seven is here?" Five asks me. I shrug and dig around in his Loric chest. I turn the precious Loralite over in my hands remembering how rare they are. If only I still had my chest… but that's a different story.

"Maybe. I don't know if it's specifically Seven, but John and I both feel like something's here," I reply. I put down the stone and look up to find him staring at me. "What?" I snap at him.

"You know, I'm one of you guys too, but sometimes you act like I don't exist. All you care about are your stupid boyfriend and his stupid girlfriend," Five mutters.

"Shut the hell up, Five. You don't know shit! Just because Sarah and I both rejected you doesn't mean you have to be an asshole about it," I growl. I narrow my eyes at him and he clenches his jaw. His hands curl up into fists and he gets off the couch.

"All I'm saying is that you need to be concentrated on what's important right now. If we don't find the others then this whole thing is a lost cause and they'll die anyhow," Five states angrily.

"Look, we found you in a _week_. We've been in Spain for two weeks and we're close. What more do you want? I mean, did you honestly think we'd be finding a Number every other day? This could take _years_. Sorry it's not living up to your expectations!" I yell. My breath is starting to hitch and my chest is heaving up and down.

"Well, maybe we would if you guys didn't have your heads up in the clouds! All you think about is him! That's it! We've trained a few times when we should be training every day, but you and John are too busy making out with those humans! Get focused, Six! This is about life- no, this is simply about death! Do you _know _how many people have died for us? Do you even know?" Five screams. He crossed the damn line.

"Five,_ you're _the one who doesn't know! I watched my only friend, the only person who loved me, the only person who I could relate to, _die_! I was only fourteen! And _you_ try to lecture _me _about it? Hell, no! You have _no _clue! Stop acting like you know everything and grow up! I know what we're dealing with! They held me in the same damn cell for a year! _You have no idea!_" I roar. With that having been said, I snap up and slam the door on my way out. I bust through my own door and dead-bolt it. I know it could never stop Five, but I doubt he'll try to come in.

I mutter curse words to myself before breaking loose and punching a wall. It's so big, I could fall out. "Shit…" I mumble and try to cover it up. Whatever. The hotel won't be able to track us down anyhow.

I jump onto my bed and lay face down for a few minutes trying to calm down. Why is it that all guys just have to get under my skin the first time I meet them? I hated John; I hated Sam; now I hate Five. Maybe it's just the whole gender. They're all too worried about looking hot and being a "man" that they don't see what pricks they're being! I swear, if the Mogs don't kill me then _men _will be the death of me.

After a good five minutes of pure meditation, I flip over and reach into my pocket and dial the only person I want to talk to.

"Hello? Six, is something wrong?" he asks. Typical.

"No, I just needed to talk to you. I feel like you and Sam are the only ones who keep my sane sometimes. I would've called Sam, but… it's kind of personal… and I just don't want to hear anyone tell me how sorry they are," I say into the receiver. It makes me feel guilty talking to John instead of Sam about this, but it's true. Sam would only distract me with kisses or apologies whereas John will listen to me and give me advice. That's why I think of him as a brother.

John's silent for a few moments and I suspect he's telling the others I'm on the phone. "Alright, what's up? I'm in the car so I'm all alone," he says. I take a deep breath and begin to tell him my story. I tell him about when Julianne died, how they kept me locked up in a cell trying to kill me for at least a year, how I escaped, and how I came to find him. We talked for a good hour before I finally got to when I found him.

"When are you guys getting here? I think I'm gonna kill Five pretty soon," I growl. I hear John laugh on the other end which just makes me grin. I swear his laugh and smile are contagious. I see how Sarah fell in love with that boy.

"We'll be back in a few. And he seems to have that effect on people. Just give him a-" John starts to say, but a loud sound enters my ear drum. There's screaming and loud noises for about three seconds until the line goes dead. I stutter his name out, but the phone only beeps. I've lost all feeling in my body except for the urge to throw up. My hands are shaking and I'm sure my face is as white as a sheet. No… no, no, no, no, no! What the hell just happened! I drop the phone instantly and run to Five's door.

As soon as he opens it I run in and grab his chest. "What the hell are you doing?" he asks. I can tell he's still pissed, but that doesn't matter.

"They're in trouble. I was talking to John on the phone, but then all I heard was a crash and screaming before the line went dead. We need to go. Now," I order. We've both snapped into battle mode and it seems like nothing that happened earlier matters.

"I'll go grab the swords and guns from our closet. Grab whatever you need," he says, but I shake my head.

"Pack everything essential. I feel like we won't be coming back." I run into my room and quickly throw our few items into our bags before running to John's room. I easily break the door down and toss my junk to the side. Seconds later, Five is in there with me helping pack their stuff. We're out of the building in less than five minutes.

As soon as the humid air hits me, I _really _have to fight the urge to puke. I try not to think about what's happening, but images of Julianne keep flying through my head. Five places a hand on my shoulder and says, "It's gonna be alright, Six. We'll find them." For once, I actually let him try to comfort me.

My eyes look around for a car, but everything is old and rusted. I guess people here don't get out much. But, parked beside the hotel, I catch sight of one of those large white vans. "There," I say and head towards it. I check every direction running to it and as soon as I'm in the clear, I unlock the door and throw the stuff in the back. Then a thought hits me.

"Damn it!" I yell. "There's no keys!" All of a sudden, the car turns on. I look over at Five and then at the dead tree in front of us. "How long?"

"About a day's worth, but with the way you drive, probably five or six hours," Five says.

"Good enough," I say as I rip out of the parking lot. I already know where I'm going. I can basically feel it. I can sense danger especially when it's around loved ones. I only wish I had used my instincts with Julianne… but now's not the time. I rip down the dirt road and veer right onto a semi-paved street. Lush forests surround me and I feel like something will jump out at us at any moment, but Five is keeping his eyes peeled.

A few miles later, I turn left onto an actual road. There's smoke up ahead. "Shit," I say under my breath. My hands are clenching the steering wheel so tight that my knuckles are white. Luckily, I don't see any other vehicles. I highly doubt that anyone will come this far out. I press harder on the gas pedal, but I feel a pulling on the back of the van.

"Shit!" Five yells and braces himself against the seat and door. I slam the brakes, which gives me a terrible case of whip lash, and skid to a halt. The van screeches backwards and starts to roll backwards down into a trench. The van bumps along the deformed ground and I slam my head against the wheel. I feel warm liquid fall down my cheek, but pay no attention to it. At last, we roll to a stop.

"Get down!" I hiss at Five. He does so and I turn invisible, but the door opens right as I change. As I'm about to attack, I notice that John's standing in front of me with the door wide open, fear in his eyes, grime smothering his exposed chest, and tear marks running down his face. I immediately change back and face him, my eyes questioning him. Please not Sam, please not Sam, please not Sam…

"Patrick's dead. Seven's with us. But Six… Sarah's hurt."

* * *

><p>"Patrick's dead. Seven's with us. But Six… Sarah's hurt."<p>

Six's face has a flash of relief, but then goes straight to fear. I can barely stand, my hands are shaking, I feel like I'm going to puke, and worst of all, I'm crying like a baby.

"Patrick… no… no! Where is he?" Five screams. His face is red and a look has crossed his face telling me he refuses to believe it.

"Follow the path into the forest. He's there with the others," I stutter out. Five rips open the door and sprints off before anyone can say anything.

"Six please… please tell me you have my Chest. It's been about fifteen minutes and I don't know how much longer she has. Six, please don't tell me you left it," I plead. Six looks at me and nods. Her face is unreadable, but I know it's a mixture of shock, guilt for being relieved it's not Sam, and pity.

"In the back. We brought everything. John… she only has a couple minutes left. How bad is it?" Six asks. I walk to the trunk and rip open the back. I find my bag and rummage through until I find it.

"Come on! She hasn't much time!" I yell and start to run through the woods. Six trails behind, but I don't care. She'll catch up eventually. However, in a second she's beside me keeping the pace.

"John, what the hell happened?" Six asks. I clench my jaw and keep running.

"They ambushed us. Well, I guess it was just a damn coincidence. We were driving down the road when Seven, the girl who we predicted was her, sprinted across the road. Patrick slammed the breaks and we skidded into the railing. The Mogs were right on her, Six. She just happened to cross us. As soon as I got out of the car, she turned around and we connected the way we did with Five. It didn't matter though. They would kill humans anyhow so naturally it was a battlefield: Patrick, Seven, and I versus about six Mogadorian _soldiers_. It's not just scouts anymore. Patrick got through the first one, but the second killed him without a fight. Sam ended up pulling through and nicking one, but Sarah…"

I start crying even harder as I run through the woods. Tears blur my vision and I almost trip, but I don't slow my pace. At last, we come to the small opening where everyone's gathered. Sam is kneeling beside Sarah's body holding her hand and talking to her, while Five is beside Patrick sobbing. Seven has disappeared, but I assume she didn't want to intrude on any of this and is trying to move the wreckage. I rush to Sarah's side with my Chest as Six slides next to Sam enveloping him in her arms.

"Hey Sarah," I say softly in between tears. Her eyes flutter and she looks at me. I take her hand in my own, but get little response. Her fingers slowly curl around my hand and I move the hair out of her face. Her skin is so cold and pale… I can't take it.

"John," she whispers. I kiss her hand and open the Chest with the other.

"Yeah, I'm here. You're going to be okay. You'll be okay, but… it's going to hurt. God, I don't want to hurt you…" I cry. Six takes my face in her hands and stares at me directly.

"John. She's dying. You need to do it now. Or… just… just keep talking to her! Hold her hand and don't let go. I'll do it," Six says. I nod and look back at Sarah. Her eyes are shut and a wave of panic goes through my body.

"Sarah, open your eyes. You have to wake up… Sarah please!" I sob. Her eye lids move, but do not open. Inaudible words come out of her mouth and I know it's only a matter of time. "Sarah, please open your eyes for me! I love you too much to let you go. Without you, my life means _nothing_. Sarah, _please_! I can't live without you," I moan. Her eyes crack open and I lean down close to her face.

"John…" she breathes. In a fraction of a second, her eyes go wide, but then squeeze shut. I whip my head back and see the Healing Stone pressed against her wound. Six's hand is bloody, but she's keeping it pressed there. My bloody shirt that had been on her is balled up next to Sarah's body leaking with blood. I gag and can almost feel myself about to vomit. It's not the blood that grosses me out because lord knows I've seen a lot of that in my lifetime. It's that fact that it's _Sarah's _blood that makes me tremble.

Then, a shrill scream fills the air. It makes me cringe. It's Sarah's scream. My Sarah. I dig my fingers into the Earth and squeeze as hard as I can. Her pain is my pain and honestly I can't breathe. All I can hear is Sarah screaming in pain, yelling my name, and shouting for help.

"It's bad, John! It's almost as bad as yours! I don't know if she can fight through it!" Six yells overtop of Sarah's screams. No… she _has _to make it. I look at her wound and see only that the blood has cleared. Now, there's a hole the size of my hand in her right side. The skin is burnt because of the heat of the gun shot and everything else is just red.

"Sarah, you can do this. You can fight through this. You _have _to fight through it. Sarah, I can't lose you. Please, live for me. I _need _you," I beg into her ear. I swear I can see her nod faintly, but it could just be my imagination.

"Just a few more minutes!" Six yells. I nod and stay concentrated on Sarah. She's practically cutting the circulation off in my hand, but it doesn't matter. It means she's holding on. If she doesn't hold on then I can't either. If Sarah Hart dies, then I'll die along with her.

The screaming goes on for five minutes, but in the state that I'm in, it seems like five hours. Have you ever felt what it's like to have a loved one die? Have you ever felt what it's like to _see _a loved one die? It's the worst possible feeling in the world.

"There!" Six shouts and removes the stone. Sarah's side glows for a minute before turning into a light red color. Sarah's screams have stopped, but her body is still heaving up and down. It's almost as if she's gasping for air. Her hand has loosened on mine and I can't even tell if she's awake.

"Sarah?" I ask softly. There's no response.

"John, she's unconscious. The pain knocked her out," Six says softly. I nod and finally peel my eyes away from her. Five is looking over her body with a red face, red-rimmed eyes, and a grim expression on his face. I don't see Patrick anywhere, but I assume Five took care of him. Seven is now walking slowly towards us with a worried look on her face.

"I'm sorry and I know this is a bad time… but we need to move. I can hear the sirens. They're about five miles away," Seven says. Her accent is clearly Spanish, but it's also soft like a child's. I gently lift Sarah into my arms and give my Chest to Six. The six of us, together, walk down the path to the white van. It isn't severely damaged besides a few dents which is good. It'll blend in nicely.

"Five or Six, you drive. I'll be in the back seat with Sarah. Seven, did you bring anything?" I ask. She nods and runs over to a large tree on the very edge of the forest. She stands in front of the tree and closes her eyes. Suddenly, branches and bark seem to twist away and the trunk opens to reveal a bag and her Chest. She grabs both and puts them in the trunk.

"Let's go. I know a safe house where we can go," Seven says. I nod and she climbs in the front seat. Five jumps in the driver's seat and starts the engine. I crawl in the back and lay Sarah's head on my lap. I lay the rest of her out on the seat. Six and Sam get into the seat in front of me and as soon as the door shuts, we pull onto the road and head the opposite direction.

"So, Seven, how'd they find you?" Six asks. Seven swerves her head around and looks at Six.

"Six, right? And I'd prefer Marina if you would. Well, I was at the convent in Santa Teresa. My… my Cêpan and I had been there for eleven years and Adelina had been sucked into the religious views there. Only when I had told her about the strange man in a coffee shop did she snap back into reality. But… they came this morning. She never stood a chance… I'd been hiding out for a few hours when they finally caught my scent. I sprinted from the woods and just so happened to cross John's path. Call it fate, destiny, or whatever, but it wasn't a coincidence," Marina says. Six nods and takes in the information.

"I'm sorry for your loss. But, Sev- I mean, Marina, what should we know about you? What are your Legacies so far?" Six asks. She's so typical. But, she's in battle mode right now, so I don't blame her. Sarah's head stirs on my lap and I look down to see if she woke up. She mumbles something before lying still again. I stroke the side of her face and move some hair from her face.

"I'm right here, Sarah," I whisper to her.

"Well, telekinesis, night vision, underwater breathing, physical enhancement, and healing," Marina says. You've got to be kidding me.

"What? You can heal people, but you let me hurt Sarah?" I yell. Six looks ready to hold me back from jumping over the seat and strangling her, but Marina shakes her head.

"John, I was too tired from fighting. I would've merely stopped the bleeding, but it would've started up again. I'm sorry," she says. I take a deep breath and compose myself.

"Okay, okay… it would've just been good to know before. I can power the others up with my Lumen," I say. Marina's face falls and pure guilt strikes her face.

"Oh, John I'm so sorry! If I'd have known I would've tried to heal her. I'm so sorry," Marina says. I shrug.

"It's okay. She's healed so it doesn't matter. It's just good to know that we have a healer."

We drive for a half an hour until the road turns into dirt. We continue along a bumpy path until we stop at a cliff overlooking a secluded beach. Before any of us can say anything, Marina speaks.

"Okay, everyone needs to help me. Six, Five, John: I need you to use your telekinesis to help me lower the car onto the beach. On three, ready? One, two… three!"

We all get a grip on the car and it effortlessly lifts off the ground. Sam's face is white and I chuckle at him. We push the car forward and then gently lower ourselves onto the sand. Five regains control of the car and drives forward. About thirty feet ahead there's a large wooden beach house.

"When we arrived here, the person who helped us get to Spain showed us this house that had been built for our arrival. It has nine bedrooms; one for each Number and their Cêpan. The only rule is that I get the top room. It was mine and Adelina's," Marina says quietly. I nod and look down to check on Sarah. Her state hasn't changed at all. I gulp and start to worry. What if she was in a coma? What if she never wakes up?

A hand touches my shoulder. I look up and see Six staring at me, her eyes soft. "She'll be okay, John. She knows you're here so that's enough of a reason for her not to let go." Six gives me a small smile before getting out of the van with Sam. I push down the seat and climb out with Sarah in my arms. Sam and Six thankfully grab our bags and the six of us head to the house.

When we walk in, my mouth drops. A spiral staircase about ten feet ahead of me leads to the bedrooms, to my left there's a dining room with the biggest table I've ever seen holding eighteen chairs, to my right there's a room with a TV and couches, and ahead there is a large kitchen to the right of the staircase. To the left is a sun room with doors leading to the beach complete with a coffee table and two couches. The house's structure is a light gloss-finished wood and every doorway or archway is naturally made, meaning it wasn't cut out, but the wood was simply kept in its original state.

"This is… amazing," I breathe. Marina smiles at me as she passes and walks up the staircase. "Come on guys. I bet the bedrooms are upstairs." The four of us walk up the stairs, a challenge for me because of the body in my arms, and are led into an open common room. It's a large circular room with five doors spread evenly out which I assume are bedrooms. I walk to the one on the left while Six and Sam choose the one next to it. Five, on the other hand, chooses the room farthest away from us.

When I walk in, I'm immediately greeted by sunlight beaming in through the sliding door leading to the balcony. It warms my skin and I shudder with delight. The room itself is a slightly darker wood color with a cream rug spread out over the floor. There's a wall to both of my sides, but I can clearly see in. The wall to my right is part of a closet while the one on my left leads to a bathroom. There's a glass door next to the bathroom, a flat screen TV on the wall next to that, and a king sized bed across from the TV on the other wall. There's another door leading to the balcony left of the bed.

I shut the door with my foot and walk over to the bed so I can lay Sarah down. I place her down softly, prop her head up on the pillow, and pull the dark blue sheets over her. I kiss her forehead and leave the room to go and get our things.

I go out into the circular room and knock on the door next to us. I walk in and see that their room is much like ours except for the fact that they have a couch in front of their TV and only one door to the balcony. I grab Sarah and my bags quickly so that Sam and Six can get settled.

As soon as I turn the knob to my room, I hear a moan. I push through the door and toss our things against the wall. The door shuts mysteriously on its own and I turn towards the bed. Sarah's legs are shifting underneath the sheets and she's writhing. Her face is laced with strings of sweat and she's frowning with her mouth agape. I run to her side and pull the sheets off. I sit on the edge of the bed and take her face in my hands. Sarah instantly stops moving, but slowly moves her head. Then, her eyes open.

**Woooooh! I like long chapters(: I hope you enjoyed it! REVIEW PLEASE(:**


	21. Six's Story

**Did you guys know… that I love each and every one of you? Thank you so much for the reviews(: They made me smile a lot! I appreciate your kind words and you guys are the reason I keep writing(: Thanks a bunch!**

**aBrokenJar: Thank you so much! And I always try to keep you guys wondering what'll happen next ;) I'm only fourteen so that means **_**a lot **_**to me! And I'll need more than like 92 (I think), so maybe by the time I finish the story I will be!**

**The Maximum Ride: Your comment made my day. I literally smiled when I read it! Sorry to leave you with a cliff hanger, but it's what I do ;) But, really, thank you for that comment. I try to keep writing like the author does, but add my own ideas and flairs in as well. I'm addicted to writing this too ;) It's an OBSESSION! And I'll try to update ASAP!**

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**Alright, so here's Chapter 21! Obviously it won't be as long as the last one, but I'll keep my goal of around 3,000-4,000 words. I never go less anymore(: Hope you guys aren't **_**too **_**mad about where I left you ;)**

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><p>As soon as my eyes finally flutter open from that nightmare of pain and confusion I was in, he's there. John's there, right by my side, holding my face. His worried eyes soften as my eyes open. There are dark rings under his eyes and light pink lines circling his eyes. There's dirt covering most of his face and naked chest, his hair is matted and greasy, and there are small cuts along his face.<p>

"John," I whisper. He lets out a breath I'm sure he's been holding in ever since I passed out and gives me a feeble smile.

"Hey Sarah," he says. The back of his fingers gently graze my cheek while I turn into them and lay a delicate kiss on the back of his hand. His breaths come out trembling and I know he's trying not to cry or be weak, but honestly, I don't care. My father always told me that the strongest are always the most sensitive. That's how it is with John and _definitely_ Six. She tries to be the leader all the time, but I know she breaks down inside. I mean, she's still human… hypothetically speaking.

"John, it's okay. I'm okay," I say trying to comfort him. Instead he only looks down, his eyes closed, his head softly nodding, and his tears being suppressed. I reach for his face and place my hands on his neck. I gently slide them up to where his hair starts to grow and soothingly run my fingers through it. I massage his temples and steadily bring his face closer to mine. "John, look at me. Please," I plead. His head tilts up and I can tell that his tears have fallen, but they were wiped away.

"John, I'm better. You saved my life. You helped me through the pain. You gave me a reason to hold on. John… you are the reason I live," I say to him. I run my fingers through his hair and pull his face to mine so our noses and foreheads are leaning up against each other.

"I thought I was gonna lose you," John whispers. I nod slightly and pull on his jaw.

"I know. But I'm here, John. I'm alive and I'm with you," I say through a wobbling voice. My throat is starting to close up and I have to blink away tears. God, this is worse than having that rock pushed into me. Seeing John like this… it's the worst pain I've ever dealt with.

"Don't cry," he murmurs. I shake my head and let out a small whimper. "No, Sarah, please…" John tilts his head to the right a little and gives me a small smile. "Shh… I'm okay. We're both okay. Please don't cry…"

I take a couple breaths and wipe away a few fallen tears before looking back up at him. He gives a smile curve of the lips before kissing my forehead long and softly.

"Is there anything that you need?" John asks me. I shake my head and he nods. "Well, I'm going to shower and then I'll put our things away." Only then is when I notice my surroundings. There's a large flat screen TV hanging on the medium shaded wood in front of me, a glass door leading to a wooden deck on my right and to the left of the television, a walk-in closet to my left, and a bathroom diagonally on my left.

Out the sliding glass door, I see the beach. The golden sand, the crystal clear water, and the luscious green plants out front are all reflecting the giant burning star in the sky. Outside, I see a few chairs and a hammock hanging where the porch turns. The railings are all natural, un-sculpted pieces of wood and the support beams are large tree trunks. The whole house seems magical.

"Where are we?" I wonder aloud. John pops his head out from the closet and actually smiles at me.

"Seven showed it to us. Apparently, it was built for our arrival. Six and Sam and next door and Five is across the hall. Seven wanted one of the four rooms upstairs. You want me to go get Sam and Six?" he asks. I nod eagerly and John walks over to kiss my forehead. "Be back in a sec."

"Wait," I call after him. He turns and takes a step back towards me, his face questioning me. I place my hands on his neck and pull his face down. Our lips meet and I feel a bolt of electricity go through my body. That's all I do though because to tell you the truth, I'm too tired to make out with him right now. I might collapse out of exhaustion, so can you imagine how embarrassing that'd be?

We pull apart and exchange smiles before he walks out the door. I then realize how thirsty I am and look around for water. Next to me is a night stand where a glass of water and a TV remote sit. I grab the cup and pull it towards my lips. The second the liquid hits my mouth, I feel like it's a rain storm over Death Valley. I easily gulp it down and place the glass next to me. Suddenly, the door busts open and I see none other than the goofball himself; Sam.

"Sarah!" he yells and runs towards me. I smile and hold my arms out. In an instant, his arms are around me and he's squeezing me tightly. Well, actually, a little _too _tight.

"Jesus Sam, you're gonna kill the girl! Let her breathe!" I hear Six yell at him. Sam pulls away, rolls his eyes, and gives me a mock apology before stepping back. "How're you feeling, Sarah?" Six asks me. She actually gives me a _real _smile which instantly makes me mirror her expression.

"I'm feeling a lot better. Six, thank you for everything. I know you're the one who had to do it and I can't thank you enough for saving my life. That's twice now," I say and wink. Six actually blushes a little bit and nods in gratitude. "And Sam, thank you for helping me hold on. You held my hand and kept talking to me when I thought I was going to let go."

"Anytime, Sarah. Losing you would be like losing a sister. Not to mention John would just sit around all day like a load of-"

"Sam!" John and Six yell in unison. Sam and I both laugh before everyone in the room is laughing too. Just then, the door opens. Seven walks in and is about to speak, but her eyes fall on me.

"Oh! You're awake! I don't know if you remember me, but I'm Seven. Call me Marina though, please. How are you feeling?" Marina asks in a strong Spanish accent.

"I'm feeling a lot better, thanks," I say. She smiles at me and turns toward the others.

"Anyhow, I was coming up here to tell you that dinner should be ready in a half an hour. Kyle and I have started cooking from the few canned and boxed items we had in the pantry. We'll go out and get supplies tomorrow," Marina addresses. Everyone nods and she leaves the room with a small wave. For a moment, there's an awkward silence until Six clears her throat.

"Well, Sam and I need to go finish unpacking so I guess we'll see you two at dinner," Six says. Sam looks as if he's about to object, but Six glares at him before he gets the hint that she wants to leave John and I alone. Six shoots me a grin and rolls her eyes at Sam before shutting the door. As soon as it shuts, I glance over at John and choke on my own breath.

He looks like a _god_. He's standing in front of the door with only shorts on, his hair disheveled, his jaw covered in stubble, his whole upper body covered in a thin layer of dirt that's almost sexy, and finally, he has that smile pasted on his face that I can't get enough of. I make sure my mouth isn't hanging open before I give him a small smile.

"You know, I never did give you that haircut, mister. Go get me some scissors and a trashcan," I say. John rolls his eyes, grins, and walks into the bathroom. I smile to myself and feel my face start to flush. Truthfully, I could go without giving him a haircut, but he looks sort of like a wild animal right now. "Actually, John, you should probably shower first," I call out to him. I'm answered by a groan and a disappointed looking John sulking out of the bathroom.

"Well, you need one too! And there's a Jacuzzi bath so it'll probably help both of us loosen up," John says.

"You know, I've never liked the idea of sitting in my own filth so I don't think I want to sit in yours either," I counter.

"There's a shower too, you know," John says seductively and wriggles his eyebrows. I chuckle and reach my arm out.

"At least help me out, please?" I ask. John walks over to me and pulls the sheets off, but instead of taking my hand, he lifts me up bridal style and walks with me into the bathroom. He sets me down on the tile floor and I almost lose my balance, but I fall into the wall who's standing close behind me.

"You okay?" John asks as he helps me regain my steadiness. I nod and peel off my shirt and shorts before hopping in the shower. Careful to avoid the water at first, I turn it on warm, but surprisingly, the water is already hot. John's setting up the Jacuzzi and I take the opportunity to look at myself before John gets in.

It looks like I have a giant blob of pale skin on the right side of my stomach. It's bigger than my hand and really stands out. I groan and think how I definitely won't want to wear bikinis anymore.

"It's not that bad," a voice says into my ear. It sends shivers up my spine and I smile in response.

"Yes, it is. I refuse to wear bikinis anymore. I'll be that person who always wears a shirt in the water," I say and giggle. I wrap my arms around my waist, covering my scar, but John pries my hands away.

"Stop it. You're gorgeous. And good, now no one will be able to look at you like that except me," he says and puts his chin in the crook of my neck. I lean my head on him and reach my right arms around to play with his hair which is now sopping wet. I glance over at him and notice that I can't even see his eyes. I giggle and shake my head at him. "See? _This _is why you need a haircut. You can't even see. Explain to me how you're supposed to fight if you can't see!"

"Fine," John groans, "but if you give me a buzz cut I'll kill you. And I won't be able to maintain my godly figure," John teases and winks at me. My face flushes instantly and I groan inwardly. I forgot we could hear each other's thoughts. Damn alien boyfriend…

I turn towards him and take the back of his head in my hands. "You could be _bald _for all I care." I lean in and kiss him on the lips gently. I pull away and kiss him again; pull away and press my lips to his; pull away and let our mouths meet. But soon, we're meshed together. Tangled. Intertwined. However, I pull away due to lack of breath and feeling in my legs.

"Alright… I think the Jacuzzi's ready," I pant and glance down. John grins and, using his forehead, nudges my face upwards. Our lips meet again and this time, I refuse to break away. I feel the shower stop and all of a sudden my legs are swept from under me, but strong arms are suspending my body. I feel him step out of the shower and take a few steps before breaking away. John carefully lowers me into the tub and its effects overtake me.

Several jets are pushing on my back, neck, legs, and feet while the aroma of strawberries fills my nostrils. As if that isn't enough, warm hands are placed on my shoulders. They knead my muscles which gets a few moans of bliss out of me. My body is so sore from everything and I feel like I'm in heaven. The hands work their way lower down my back until my whole backside is relaxed.

"Here, drink some water. When you get massaged toxins are released into your body so you need to drink water to counteract them," John says while handing me a glass of water.

"Well, I didn't know you were an alien masseuse who's _also_ meant to save the world," I say and lean my head back to wink at him. He takes the opportunity to kiss me gently before getting in the tub with me.

"Sorry, I don't want to seem _too _amazing. I like to be humble about how incredible I am," John says and pretends to clean his fingernails. I roll my eyes and stick my feet up on his legs. I wiggle my toes in his face which, in turn, scrunches up. "Gross."

"What? They're clean!" I claim. John makes a disapproving noise and gently starts rubbing them. I moan and sink lower into my seat. "John! Where did you learn to massage?" I moan with my eyes shut. I hear him chuckle softly to himself before speaking.

"Henri. After training he would rub my muscles out sometimes if they were really tight," John says. He uses his knuckles to work my feet and my body trembles in response. John laughs aloud and pulls my feet quickly towards him making me slide forward and go under. I rise to the surface and glare at him.

"I'm going to kill you John Smith," I growl and lunge at him with what little strength I have. His hands come up to stop me, but I get a hand on his head and push it down. He comes up spluttering water and shakes his head. "John!" I squeal and break into a fit of laughter. John dives at me, sending us both under the water, and I clutch on to him. His hands grab my waist and we both come up.

John presses his lips to mine simply before breaking away and whispering, "I love you." I kiss him again and lean my forehead against his.

"I love you too."

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><p>"Hey," I say and put my chin on his shoulder. I place my hands on his biceps and soothingly rub them up and down. "What are you thinking about?"<p>

"Everything." Sam is standing with his hands on the railing out on the deck looking at the sunset over the ocean. His shirt ripples in the light breeze, yet his face is as still as stone.

"You wanna talk?" I ask carefully. He shrugs and I know the answer is no. "Sam… will you please tell me? I don't want you to keep everything bottled up inside." Sam turns to me, his face still unreadable, with his arms now crossed.

"You don't talk to me about stuff. You only talk with John. How about we start there first," Sam says. Normally, I'd have some retort, but I see where he's coming from. I haven't been fair at all. I hesitantly reach for his hand, but he waits a few seconds before giving in. I lead him to the bed where we both sit on the edge. I take a deep breath and begin to tell him my story.

"I was fourteen when they caught me. Julianne and I were in France when they had picked up our scent. As they were coming through the doors, Julianne told me to get in the car despite my pleas. If I had listened to my gut instinct, I could've saved her. Instead, I did what I was told and she was killed. I murdered my first Mog that day. After she died, I tried to drive away, but they surrounded me. I was beaten, kicked, and shot, but there was no effect; no pain."

"From there, they took me to their base in Germany. They took my Chest and I think they still have it. Anyhow, they tried everything they could to kill me. They gassed me, but it only killed those who installed it. They cut me, but the blood ended up no their own skin. Everything they did backfired and they kept me there for a little over a year. One day, I noticed that my hand disappeared. The next day it would be my head or leg. Soon, over half of my body was able to turn invisible."

"At last, I turned my whole body invisible. The guard came in, opened the door, and looked around like crazy. I undid the keys from his belt, slammed the door, and locked him inside my cell making him scream like crazy and wonder what the hell happened. From Germany, I snuck on the next plane out which happened to land in Australia where I stayed for two years before finally tracking down John in Florida. From there, I found him at the school and the rest is history."

I bite my bottom lip and look at Sam. His expression has changed, but it's still unreadable. We sit in a moment of uncomfortable silence before he speaks.

"Why didn't you ever tell me?" Sam asks. I quirk my mouth to the left and sigh.

"I guess that I just felt John could relate more. I would've told you, but I think the last thing I wanted to hear was, 'Sorry'. Sorry means blaming themselves and I'm the only one that can be blamed for her death. That's why I act on impulse all the time and don't take orders. I can't let anyone else die, Sam." My voice is quiet, but he's listening intently.

"You can't blame yourself, Six. You were only fourteen. Listen, Julianne was protecting you because she knew that if she didn't die, you'd have to. You can't blame yourself, Six. You have to let go sometimes." I nod and lean into him. His arms envelope me and I breathe in deeply. His smell makes me dizzy and I feel like I want to go to bed.

"Go to sleep. It's been a long day," Sam says.

"No," I mumble, "you never told me what's wrong."

"I'll tell you when you wake up."

"Mmkay."

"Sleep well, Six. I love you."

"Love you."

**I don't know how the hell I got that done so fast, but here's another one! I feel like such a mysterious person… no one knows of my dorky obsession with writing except my best friend and family! Shh… I gotta maintain my rep ;) Kidding! Haha, but let me know what you think!**


	22. Number Eight

**The Maximum Ride: Hehehe… I told you I'm obsessed ;) And I'm getting em out as fast as possible! Thanks a lot(:**

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**aBrokenJar: Anytime! You should've taken a picture ;) Your comments make me smile! And thank you! I should be studying for a civics test… but I mean, what's more important here? ;)**

**Alright, thanks for your reviews as always and please keep them coming! I love them(: Wow… I'm on Chapter 22… that's scary! Anyhow, here you are!**

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><p>"When's dinner going to be ready?" Sam groans. I look up from my pool stick and glare at him. He's messing up my damn shot.<p>

"Would you shut up already? We're trying to win a game here!" Six yells at him. I smirk and sense her close to me. "Okay, now just rebound it off the left corner to knock the 6-ball around the 8-ball. You can do it, John." I take a deep breath and concentrate again. I pull back once… twice… three times… and push! The cue ball banks perfectly off the left corner and knocks the 6-ball into the pocket.

"Yes!" I yell and high-five Six. Five and Sam stand on the opposite end of the table groaning. I easily hit the cue ball into the 8-ball sending it into the middle pocket. "And that, gentlemen, is how you win a game of pool." Six laughs and high-fives me again.

"Now… you pay up," Six adds. Both boys groan in unison whilst reaching into their back pockets. The bet was twenty dollars to each player who won. Which means, I get ten from Sam and ten from Five. I walk over and they smack money into my palm.

"Thanks guys!" I yell and walk into the kitchen from the sunroom. I pocket the money and creep up behind Sarah. I sneakily wrap my arms around her waist, making her freeze, then relax. I chuckle and crane my neck around to kiss her cheek. "Sam's whining again. How long until dinner's ready?"

"Well, if you would let go of me… right about now," Sarah says with a wink as she turns out of me holding a bowl of salad. "Dinner!" she yells. As soon as the word leaves her mouth, Sam comes bounding over. He slides into a stool and eagerly awaits the arrival of our food. As soon as everything is laid out and everyone is seated at the counter, we begin to eat.

It's the last night we'll be here so we decided to have a big dinner. It makes us seem like a big dysfunctional family that I've always wanted. We have steak marinated in some marinara sauce, Caesar salad, rice pilaf, warm French bread, and we even bought a tub of Snickers ice cream for dessert. I sit down in between Sam and Five with my plate full of food and dig in.

"So, have we decided where we're heading tomorrow?" Sam asks. I swallow and nod.

"South America. All four of us agreed that it's where we feel we should go. We think that maybe-" I begin to say, but the words get caught in my throat. The second before I fall out of my chair, I see the same shocked expression on Six, Five, and Marina's faces. This can't be happening.

As soon as I hit the floor, I clutch my leg and groan in pain. Sarah's by my side in a flash and I can tell she's worried. I barely feel her hands on me, but instead, all I can feel the searing pain on my leg. Out of the corner of my eye, I see the light shooting out of my calf. No, no, no, no, no…

I can faintly hear the others' yells, but the world goes black for a minute. My leg burns for what seems like forever, but soon enough, it stops. I open my eyes to a blur of color, then a wooden floor, then Sarah's worried expression.

"John? John? Can you hear me? Are you okay?" Sarah asks. Her voice is higher pitched and I know she's confused and frightened to what's going on. I place my hand on my forehead and feel the little bit of sweat that has formed on my hairline. I groan and roll over. I glance to my left and see Six in the same position with Sam by her side. To my right, Marina and Five are in the exact same state. I'm the first to sit up. Please no, please no, please no…

Despite my better judgment, I look at my leg. Sure enough, a scar has branded itself on my leg. My skin is red and still tender to touch. It's very high up on my leg so I know it's either Eight or Nine. I carefully measure the size of my third scar and move it up my leg. One space for me, two spaces for Five, three spaces for Six, four spaces for Marina… then it stops. I gulp and my body starts to tremble. They know we've met. They know we've gotten together. They know the charm is broken and they've killed one of us.

"Number Eight is dead."

Sarah gasps and Sam whips his head around. The others slowly sit up and check for themselves. There are grim expressions on every single face in the room. We sit in silence for a good five minutes thinking about the Mogs, who Number Eight probably was, and where he or she was. But I _know _where Eight was. Eight was in South America because my urge to go there is gone. I'm feeling more like we have to go west… back to the United States.

I'm the first to stand. I clear my throat and look down. "We have to go the United States." I receive nods from everyone, including Sam and Sarah. With that being said, I walk out of the room without an appetite any more. I grab my sweatshirt from the couch in the sunroom, pull it on, and rip open the door to the beach. From there, I walk straight until the water laps at my ankles.

Nature seems to mock Eight's death for the night is too beautiful for mourning. The moon is full and shining brightly over the blue world in front of me. I can see the small white peaks of the waves as the roll towards me. The waves are maybe waist to chest high seeming to peel forever and the only thing going through my head, despite the events that just took place, is how I wish I could be surfing again. Surfing always closed me out of the world I was in and simply let me relax and lose any tension I was feeling.

I bring my hood up and pull down on my draw strings to protect me from the breeze as well as shove my hands in my pockets. I glance back at the house and notice that the lights are off except for the ones in the bedrooms. I sigh and stare at the ground. What am I doing here? What are _we _doing here? We've been in the house for over four days now even though we found Marina and Sarah healed two days ago.

I look to the stars and think. My eyes dart straight to Lorien and a pang of sadness strikes my heart as well as fear. We are the last five survivors of our planet. Maybe six if Nine still has their Cêpan, but still. Only six. What happens when this is all over? Am I going to have to leave Sarah and Sam to go rebuild my planet? Am I going to have to, dare I say it, _repopulate_? I could never do that. _Ever_.

"Hey," a voice says. I know exactly who it is, but I don't look down.

"Hey," I reply. She's silent for a moment before I look down at her. Sarah's arms are crossed tightly in front of her telling me that she's cold. I shut my eyes for a moment, but open my arms. As soon as I feel her body close to mine, I close them tightly around her and put my head on top of hers.

"How are you feeling? Physically and… mentally," Sarah asks carefully. I sigh and let a short silence pass before answering.

"I'm used to the physical pain, but I just realized everything that'll have to happen once everything is over and I hate the idea of it. I know that it's my duty to go back to Lorien and rebuild, but you have to understand… I think about leaving you here… and I just can't. I can't see myself walking away from you. And answer me this: how are we going to get people there? Am I supposed to help… _repopulate_? I'm not going to do that!" I yell and throw my arms up. Sarah looks at me with clear concern on her face, but she tries to mask it.

"John," Sarah says and tentatively lowers my arms. "I honestly don't want to keep you from doing what you need to do. I mean… you know I love you and I will forever, but I'd forgive you if that's what you needed to go do." My jaw drops about a foot before I shake my head and simply stare at her in disbelief. She bites her lip waiting for my response.

"Sarah, how can you… how can you even say that? You would spend maybe over a year away from me? You would wait that long? You would let me have children with _Six _or even _Marina_? How can you say that?" I ask, but my voice lowers as I ask her my questions.

"John, you're acting like you don't believe I'd wait for you… and I mean… god, John, I don't know! Okay? Is that what you want to hear? I don't know!" Sarah yells. I take a deep breath and walk a step towards her.

"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to upset you… I'm just stressed," I grumble. Sarah nods at me and her face softens a little. She looks so beautiful in the moonlight that I can't help, but grin. She pinches her eyebrows together and cocks her head a little.

"What?" she asks skeptically.

"You're just so beautiful that I can't help, but smile. Then I have to wonder how someone as perfect as you puts up with me and my stupid alien destiny," I say. Even in the dark, I can tell she's blushing. Sarah smiles and holds out her hand as I take it in my own.

"Come on. I'm tired and the others got kind of worried about you after you left," Sarah says. I squeeze her hand in reassurance and we begin walking back up to the house.

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><p>"Okay so we need six passports, ID's, and birth certificates?" Sam asks. I come up behind from where he's sitting and prop my chin up on his head. I wrap my arms around his neck from behind and look at the computer screen. <em>Jane Doe, Chris Roberts, Kyle Davis, Marina Sanchez, Lauren Williams, <em>and _Sean Jones. _Each name is typed on several documents and written in cursive on others. Our pictures are matched with each of our names as well.

"I only changed John, Sarah, and my names because you guys haven't been seen with us yet. We'll have to get a disguise though," Sam says. I pull my hands up and ruffle his hair.

"Personally, I like Sam _much _better than Sean, but I guess it'll do. And as for that… we can pick up some hair dye or something before we head to the airport tomorrow. You and John just leave your hair longer and don't shave. As for Sarah, I'll check and see if her parents dropped the reward and missing person report," I say. Sam nods and continues working on the laptop while I retrieve the other one. I plop on the bed and turn it on.

The computer loads and I search the internet for "Sarah Hart". The first thing that pops up is a website called "Strangers in Paradise". After realizing that it's her photo collection, I hit the back arrow. The next link is her Facebook page and the third is an image search that has no photos of her. I click on "News" hoping to get some answers, but nothing relevant to the Sarah next door to us is up.

"Well, Sarah can keep her look as long as we don't go back to Paradise," I say. Sam mutters something inaudible back and I roll my eyes. He works too hard on that thing. He's been deleting photos of us on the internet all week and has been creating our new documents for the past two hours. I shut the laptop down and set it on the bedside table. I crawl to the edge of the bed and place my hands on his shoulders, beginning to massage them.

"You've been working too much," I murmur as Sam groans in delight.

"You're… hands… are… magic," Sam breathes. I lower my hands a little and rub his upper back. Of course Sam, being Sam, falls over onto his side and says, "Six… I think you just killed me." I laugh and reach my arm down to help him up. However, he grabs my forearm and pulls me off the bed. Before I can land however, he smoothly takes hold of my sides and "catches" me in mid-air before letting me down as my momentum makes me fall.

Our bodies are pressed together and my face is inches from Sam's. He reaches up with his left hand and tucks my hair behind my ear before cupping my jaw and cheek. Then, before he can even pull my face closer, I lean down and kiss him. Our lips meet and the same effect and feeling takes over my body like it has all the other times. I seem to melt, I relax into his body's shape, and I lose focus on everything besides Sam.

I feel his hand move up through my hair and rest on the back of my head. My hands rest on both sides of his head, but softly play with the hair on the sides of his head. His lips move on mine expertly and it makes my body tingle in response. I grin into him and give him one last lingering kiss before propping myself up.

"Mmm… come on. I'm tired," I say yawning in mid-sentence. Sam smiles and hops up offering me his hand. I take it graciously and pull myself up. I kiss him on the cheek and go into the closet to get some clothes. I pull on a plain white shirt and my favorite pair of duck boxers. I shut off the light and walk out of the closet, but stop dead in my tracks. Sam pulls his shirt over his head and my stomach gets butterflies looking at him. I clear my throat and walk to the bed trying not to be obvious.

I crawl under the sheets, get the shades and lights with my mind, and close my eyes. Soon, I feel the bed creak and Sam's body heat hovering behind me. He kisses my cheek and wraps his arm around me.

"Goodnight, Six," Sam says.

"Night. Love you," I murmur back.

"Love you too."

* * *

><p>"Do we really have to burn it?" Marina asks me with a pleading face. I nod apologetically and begin to turn on all the ovens and stoves. Marina walks away with a sad face and I finish lighting everything else up. I flick the lighter on and sigh. I can honestly say I'll miss this place, but it has to be done. I place the flame under the curtain and watch it light. I toss the lighter to the rug and pull my glasses down as I walk out the door.<p>

"Let's roll before this place blows. We have approximately three minutes," I say as I walk towards the van. Everyone piles in and I turn to watch as the flames erupt from the window. I sigh. I've seen too many scenes like this, but this has got to be the worst one of all. I yank open the door and sit down without looking back. Five turns the van around and speeds down the beach as fast as possible. When we're a good mile away, I hear the boom. I close my eyes and sigh once more.

"It's a shame," I hear John mutter from the back. I nod and gaze out the window. It's a particularly beautiful day yet we're about to fly back to the country that wants two of us dead. One being my brother and the other being the love of my life. Great.

We hit the airport an hour later. Getting to the flight was annoying as hell and once we landed in the United States after a five hour trip, I was ready to puke. After that, we boarded _another _freaking plane to San Diego. West coast baby! Of course, we're not going for leisure, that's for sure.

Currently, we're in the terminal figuring out our plan. We can't simply waltz through security even with our fake ID's because John and Sam's descriptions are _everywhere_. We're just lucky no one on the flight recognized them.

"Okay, so Five, Sarah, and Marina will go through customs first and we'll follow close behind. I'll turn both of the boys invisible and once we're past all of security, they'll just put up their hoods and we'll just have to move quickly. We'll have to stop a couple times though. I'll need John to power me up in between. Got it?" Everyone nods and I take hold of Sam and John's hands behind a pole. We instantly vanish from sight. "Just watch where you walk," I whisper.

We quickly navigate through customs and barely slip past security in one run. However, we stop in an empty terminal for John to power me up. From there, we continue to the rental car service and pick up our truck. Once we're safely in the truck, I collapse onto the seat.

"I'm… so… I tired," I breathe heavily. I lay face down on the very back seat and shut my eyes. They don't open until we arrive at the hotel and I feel Sam nudging me.

"Hey Six. Wake up, we're here," Sam says softly. I groan and push myself up. I blink a few times and rub my eyes to get into focus. The sun is shining through the window and nearly blinds me. I grumble to myself and open up the door. I stand stretch my arms above my head while taking a deep breath. I then take a look at the hotel. It looks like it's a million stories high! "Jesus, could we have picked a bigger place?"

John chuckles and says, "Sorry, but I was done with hotels made out of dirt and clay."

We unload the truck and get settled into our rooms. John and Sarah are next door to us, which is nice since we have a connecting door and Five as well as Seven's rooms are across the hall. The room itself is gorgeous. It's a suite with a master bathroom, spacious closet, and even has a little corner kitchen. There's a small balcony that overlooks the city next to our bed which has a TV on the wall in front of it.

As soon as we get our things in, I toss them aside and flop on the bed. "I'm hungry. And tired," I state though my voice is muffled by the sheets. Sam laughs to himself and sits on the edge of the bed.

"You want me to go pick up two good, old-fashioned, American cheeseburgers?" he asks. I look up and grin, but grab his hand.

"Nope. Let Five or Marina or Sarah go get dinner. You and John are staying in here until we know where we're going next. As for me, I'm not moving so someone else can do it," I say and press my face against the bed again. Sam places his hand beside my back and kisses the top of my head before getting up.

"I'll go talk to John and see what's up. Go ahead and crash. I'll wake you up when food gets here," he says. I thank him and listen as the door shuts. That's the last thing I hear before drifting off into a deep peaceful sleep.

**Hope you enjoyed it! As always, review please! Thanks!**


	23. A Not So Preferred Plan

**The Maximum Ride: Told ya! ;) and we'll see haha(: I plan on writing as many chapters as it takes to finish the story! Also, your sentences are fine! I understand you perfectly(: By the way, I love your username ;) Such a good series!**

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**joro3: Haha yeah, sorry for killing off Eight, but it needed to happen. The storyline was getting too boring for me personally :P Thank you so much though! That means a lot! But, all stories have to come to an end. I already have the ending planned(:**

**So, I recently learned that the author, Pittacus Lore, is actually two guys under one pseudo name! Jobie Hughes and James Frey… Frey's a little wacked out and maybe you already knew that, but just a fun fact! Alright, here's Chapter 23! Thanks for your reviews and keep them coming!(:**

* * *

><p>"This is <em>so <em>good!" Sam groans. I laugh at him and wipe my mouth with my napkin.

"Yeah, there's nothing like Five Guys cheeseburgers and fries to welcome you back to the States," I say and take a bite of my burger. I glance to my right and see Sarah- well, to put it simply- in heaven. "I can't believe you've never had Five Guys! It's like… un-American!"

"Sorry, but when you grow up in Paradise, Ohio your whole life you don't really get these luxuries," Sarah says and nudges my shoulder. I grin and look up at the people gathered in my room around the small coffee table. Sarah is to my right, Six is to my left, Sam is next to her, Marina on his other side, and finally Five is sitting next to Sarah. Everyone is devouring their food besides Sam who has gotten up and collapsed on the couch. I catch Six rolling her eyes at him and grin.

"What are you going to do with him?" I ask her in a low voice. Six turns and shakes her head at me.

"Is there really anything I can do?" she retorts. I laugh while I crinkle up my tin foil and throw it across the table into the trashcan.

"I heard that!" Sam yells from the couch. That, of course, makes Six and I both laugh while everyone else looks at us in confusion.

"Alright, guys. On a more serious note, we need to decide what our plans are tomorrow. Sam and I still need disguises even though we're growing beards and our hair out. Does anyone have any good ideas?" I ask. Marina puts down her food and wipes her fingers.

"Well, we need to go shopping for one thing. The clothes we have are bound to draw attention. Everything we have is old and dirty and on the west coast… we need new, bright clothing. Just give me your sizes and I can take Sarah out to go shopping with me," Marina says while glancing at Sarah who grins widely. Sarah nods with a large smile and almost has a sparkle to her eyes. I swear… I will _never _understand girls.

"Alright, good idea, but we still need something more than that," I say.

"What about hair dye?" Six suggests. I shrug, but hear Sam groan from the couch.

"As long as it's not permanent," Sarah says with a wink. I roll my eyes at her with a slight grin and turn back to Six.

"Of course not! Do you even _know _how much complaining we'd here from these two? They just need it until we can find Nine and get the hell out of this country," Six says. I nod and bring up another point.

"Not to get ahead of ourselves, but what are we going to do when we find Nine? What are we supposed to do then? Let the Mogs come to us?" I ask.

"No," says a deep voice. I look across the table and see that Five has finally spoken. "Letting them find us would mean we wouldn't be ready. They could attack at any minute. We need to go to them." I nod in agreement.

"We go to Germany," Six says simply. "That's the base they held me in when I was fourteen until I escaped a year later. I don't know why I never said anything before, but… there were people there. I don't know if they were Lorien or what, but there were _a lot _of people there." I take in this new information with a shaky breath. What if my parents never died? What if Henri only assumed they had died? What about Sam's dad?

"It's settled then. After we pick up Nine, we're going to Germany and we're going to settle this once and for all. And… Sam and Sarah are staying here," I state. Every single person stares at me in shock before Sam sits up.

"Hell no! I'm going with you!" Sam yells.

"There's no way I'm staying here," Sarah says in a tone I've never heard her use before. I take a deep breath and try to focus.

"Look, I don't want you two in battle with us. It's _not _happening. No offense, but honestly we're the _only _force on Earth that can stop them. I can't risk them coming after you while we're in the midst of battle. It's going to be about five people to over a hundred anyhow, so I'm not risking losing either one of you. Even if we bring you there with us, they can still track our scent and find you. I want both of you safe and the only way that's going to happen is if you're in the United States."

No one speaks or moves until Sam gets up and walks into his room, slamming the door in the process. I clear my throat and get up. "We can talk more tomorrow," I say. Everyone nods and throws their trash away. Five and Marina say goodnight and walk out the door while Sarah goes to take a shower without a word. Six lingers for a few minutes before speaking.

"John…" she begins.

"I swear, Six… if you're disagreeing with me then I don't know what the hell happened to you," I state. She takes a deep breath and puts a hand on my shoulder.

"It's not that, it's just… I know you're right. I've been thinking the same thing, but it's not fair to either one of them. They need to be able to do _something_," she says.

"They _are_ doing something. They're letting us stay concentrated and giving us a reason to win, Six. They're giving us a reason to come home," I say. I grab her shoulders and look into her eyes, pleading for her to understand.

"John, you know that's not what I meant."

"But you know I'm right."

"Maybe. I still don't think it's fair." I sigh and begin to turn away, but Six grabs my shoulder and leans in close. "Not to single out Sarah," she whispers, "but it's really not fair to Sam. What if his dad is there?"

"Exactly! What if his dad is there and then what if his dad is killed? Do you really want him to have to see that?" I reply angrily, but in a hushed voice.

"You know what? We'll talk about this later. Goodnight, John," Six says pivoting and walking to her room. I grip the edge of the counter and squeeze hoping to let out some frustration, but it only grows as I break a few tiles.

"Damn it," I grumble. I pick up the broken tiles from the floor and toss it in the trashcan which I move back into the small kitchen area. I flip off all the lights and lock the front door before brewing a small pot of coffee. I pour myself a cup and set up the laptop on the coffee table. I ignite a small ball of light above the laptop for a little light and sip my drink. I hit the internet icon and begin searching news in San Diego. One link catches my eye: _Local Youth Saves Two Civilians Plunging to Their Deaths- At Once_

I click the link and begin to read the small summary of the story.

_Though he could not be found for questioning, Austin Enin saved two men working on the roof at once! Early yesterday morning, both men had been supported on a metal walkway repairing a roof when one of the cords snapped sending them plummeting towards the ground. Unbelievably, Enin saved both men from falling to their deaths. Neither of the men knew where he came from, but they both report being _suspended _in the air before being _caught _by the boy. Whether it was shock from the fall or some sort of phenomenon, both men claim Enin saved their lives with some sort of outside force. A photo taken of him as he walked away can be viewed below._

I click the link below and see a pixilated photo of a boy about my height looking over his shoulder. Due to Henri's extensive computer programs, I enhance to photo and it comes in crystal clear. He has sandy blonde hair and green eyes. He's wearing a pair of jeans so I can't get a look at his leg and a dark brown sweatshirt with the hood up is covering most of the rest of him. All I know is that Austin Enin supposedly levitated two men from falling to their deaths, has blonde hair, green eyes, and is living in San Diego.

Wait… Austin Enin… _Austin Enin_! Of course! Enin! How had I been so stupid before! Enin backwards is Nine! I grin and save the page to my desktop as well as printing out the photo just in case. I shut down the laptop and put my coffee cup in the sink. I quietly sneak into our bedroom and shut the door. I pull off my clothes besides my underwear and silently crawl into bed. I can already hear Sarah's slow breaths so I can tell she's asleep. Despite her being mad at me, I lightly drape my arm over her and kiss her cheek.

"I love you, Sarah," I whisper truly meaning every word. I shut my eyes and after an hour of restlessness, finally fall asleep.

* * *

><p>When I wake up, I'm by myself in bed besides the hotel note taped to the pillow.<p>

_John,_

_Marina and I went shopping. You looked pretty worn out so I didn't bother to wake you. We'll be back by three or four._

_Sarah _

I sigh and crumple the note up. So she was still mad at me. If she wasn't, she would've put a little heart by her name like she always does. It's understandable, but I know I'm doing the right thing trying to protect her. I push myself up and glance at the clock. It's only 10:00 in the morning, but I figure my body is still on Spanish time so it's a lot later there. I hate jet lag.

I get up from bed and take a quick shower. After that, I put on some clothes and turn on the computer. My link from last night is still saved meaning that the Mogs haven't gotten to it yet. It also means that Nine probably doesn't have a Cêpan anymore. I search for any more relevant news, but find none so I shut the computer down. I yawn and go to the connecting door to Sam and Six's room. I knock gently in case they haven't gotten up, but Six answers the door.

"What's up?" Six asks. I glance in and see that everything is still.

"Where's Sam?" I ask. Six sighs and rolls her eyes.

"We had a disagreement last night. He's with Marina and Sarah. Marina grabbed some hair dye early this morning. I dunno if Five went with them or not. We can check though," Six says. I look at her with apologetic eyes, but she brushes them off.

"So, you wanna grab breakfast somewhere?" I ask. Six nods, but holds up a finger and disappears from the door way. She walks back a minute later with a small box and comes into my room.

"We have to disguise you first though. How do you feel about brown hair?" Six asks with a small smile. I groan, but let her lead me to the bathroom.

After several failed attempts, we finally manage to get my hair to a dark brown. I run my hand through it and let out a breath. "How long does it stay in?" I ask.

"No more than three weeks probably. The box says a month, but this stuff is cheap so that's my estimate," Six says. I nod and check my watch.

"Alright, let's go grab some food. It's almost eleven," I say. I hear my stomach grumble and clutch it.

"Wait, grab your sunglasses. It'll help your disguise," Six says. I grab my shades from the bedside table and put them on. I glance up in the full-length body mirror next to the closet and stare at myself blankly. I'm dressed in khaki brown shorts and a black v-neck wearing black Ray-Ban styled glasses, and I have _no _idea who I am! The hair dye really did it. "Damn…" Six mutters.

"What?" I ask and turn.

"You look pretty hot actually. But I'm sure once the glasses come off I'll realize it's you and go back to loathing you," Six says with a wink. I nudge her as I close the door to my bedroom.

"Shut up!"

We walk to a small breakfast café a block away from the hotel we're staying at and sit outside. Despite it being the end of January, it's a nice seventy-five degrees outside. I _love _warm weather and this hits the spot. Coffee, breakfast, sitting outside, and talking with Six in the warm weather just makes my day.

I order a bacon, egg, and cheese omelet and plain coffee while Six gets scrambled eggs, toast, and sausage with a water. We eat for a good hour or so until we're stuffed. Then, we decide to head down to the beach. It only takes about ten minutes to get there considering how close it is, but there are _so _many people there that it's hard to breathe. Of course, if you didn't know, California water is pretty chilly so there's no a lot of people swimming meaning _everyone's_ on the beach.

Six and I stroll down to the ocean to avoid the people and slowly walk along the water's edge. "So, how'd it go with Sarah last night?" Six asks me.

"Nothing happened. She showered and I did a little research, which reminds me… I found Nine," I say. God, how stupid am I forgetting to tell her something like that? I mentally face palm myself, but turn my attention towards her. "His name is Austin Enin, as in Austin with his last spelling 'Nine' backwards. He saved two men falling from a building with his telekinesis. And get this; he couldn't be found for questioning."

"You think he's still here? Did you find a photo?" Six asks. I nod.

"Yeah, I still feel a mighty strong pull here. The article was from yesterday and I have a photo back at the hotel. He's about my same height and build, sandy blonde hair, and green eyes. I figure about this city is 50/50 on gender, about 60% of those guys have blonde hair, and green eyes are recessive so… about 15% of them have green eyes. I'll make an estimate that about 7.5% of the population of San Diego is guys with blonde hair and green eyes."

"Yeah, but there's only one guy who's Lorien," Six adds.

"Well, I guess we'll just have to keep our eyes and ears open."

* * *

><p>Six and I walked around the beach side of the city and picked up a few things, like groceries and new cell phones since the last ones we had were destroyed. We got back around 1:00 and decided to work out in the gym they have down stairs. Luckily, it's a pretty nice one, but unfortunately they don't have enough weights to put on the bench press for me to actually be challenged. After that, Six and I made sandwiches and watched TV for a while. Then, she left so I took a shower and decided to take a nap.<p>

I'm awoken by the door being quietly shut. I've learned to be a light sleeper just in case of any Mogadorian attacks, but sometimes it just sucks. I groggily open my eyes and glance up from where I had rested my head. Sarah's placing a few bags on the ground and removing her sun glasses. If I'm not mistaken, her skins seems to have darkened the slightest bit from the California sun. She looks over at me and sees that I've woken up.

"Oh, sorry. Go back to bed, John," she whispers. I shake my head and give her a small grin.

"Only if you come lay down with me," I mumble. A smile tugs at her lips, but she tries hard to cover it up.

"No, I'm not tired. Just get some rest," Sarah replies and starts unpacking some clothes.

"You've been shopping for at least four hours. Of course you're tired. You're just mad at me," I mutter again.

"Can we not do this right now?" she asks me with an icy look in her eyes. I put my hands up in defense and roll over so I'm facing her.

"Can I at least explain?" I ask in a gentle tone. Sarah stands up and crosses her arms in front of her.

"Please do." I shift awkwardly knowing she won't sit down and run my hand through my hair.

"Alright. I love you. That's the whole reason I'm doing this: because I love you. You see, if you were to come with me to Germany, I'd be worrying about you constantly. Then, I'd lose focus in battle and who knows what would happen then. I just need to know you're safe, okay? There's going to be over 200 Mogs out there. Beasts, guns, planes, everything! How am I supposed to stay alive and kill them myself if I'm worrying about losing you?"

Her expression hasn't changed the entire time. The only thing she does is clench her jaw and glance away before locking eyes with me.

"So… you're saying that it'd be my fault if you died?" Sarah asks me with her voice raised a little.

"Sarah, you completely twisted my words. It would be _my _fault if _you _died. That's why I can't have you there with me. Do you know what my life would be like without you?" I ask while sitting up.

"Jesus, John! You do this all the time! You act like you're the only one in this relationship who thinks that you would be a wreck!" Sarah yells.

"Sarah, I only fall in love once!" I shout. I'm about to add more, but she cuts me off.

"Yeah, John I've heard it before. Listen," Sarah says and takes a deep breath trying to calm down, "you don't understand how I feel about you. Just because you _have _to love me forever doesn't mean that I won't love you forever too. John… don't you understand that I could _never _move on if you…if you died? _Never_."

"But that's not what I want for you, Sarah," I say softly in a voice so low it's almost inaudible. Sarah looks away and wraps moves her hands to her biceps. Her eyes are starting to get glassy, but I don't dare do anything yet.

"Then don't die, John. Maybe that's why I want to go there with you: so you don't die," Sarah says in a hushed voice. A single tear has fallen down her cheek, but no matter how much I want to comfort her, I control myself.

"Sarah… if I know you're safe then I have a reason to fight and come home. I have a reason to not die. You're my reason to live," I say. Her bottom lip trembles and her eyes close.

"Why do you have to fight so many of them? Why that many, John? It's suicide," Sarah manages to say with her voice quivering heavily. That's the first time I realize how insane our mission is. How the hell are five kids supposed to beat over 200 Mogs? It _is _suicide. My heartbeat quickens and my breaths grow rapid. What the hell had I gotten into?

Despite my better judgment, I get up and place my hands gently on her face. "Sarah, I _promise _that I will come back. I _will_. Just please, _please_ stay here for me. Go see your parents and siblings. Just please stay safe for me and I swear I will come back for you," I plead. I wipe away the continuous stream of tears flowing with my thumbs as she shakily nods.

"How will I know you're safe?" Sarah asks. I curve my lips a little and put my forehead to hers.

_You'll still be able to talk to me like this, you know, _I think.

"I know," Sarah says. I brush away the last of her tears and hesitate to kiss her. I lean forward a little, but then lean away not knowing what she wants. Instead, Sarah holds the back of my head and pulls my lips to hers. It's a kiss filled of pure passion. There's no lust, no hunger, and no desire to make it more intense. The kiss is simple, yet it feels like I sense her feelings entering my body. The only thing I feel though is love. Just love.

"Sarah, I love you so much. I'll never leave you," I whisper. She nods into me and kiss me again.

"I love you too, John. I always will no matter what."

**Yayyyyy! Sorry I haven't updated as quickly as my other ones, but I've had a busy week. Exams… ugh. And I know Nine isn't the same as in the book (actually, Five is more like him…), but just deal with it! ;) I'll try to update soon!**


	24. Number Nine

**So I'm pretty siked about writing this chapter(: I PROMISE that it'll be a good one(: I just realized I forgot Bernie Kosar throughout like the whole story… so shhh pretend he's been there the whole time ;)**

**Numberfourlover101: Thank you so much! I definitely am **_**not **_**going to stop writing until the end!**

**aBrokenJar: As always, thank you for your reviews! I don't particularly like it when they fight, but this was sort of inevitable. I have the rest of the story planned out too! The first half of this I just sort of wrote without planning, but I know what's going to happen now ;)**

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"Hey," Sam says as he walks through the door. I look up from the TV and smile.

"Hey handsome. Aren't you looking good in your new clothes?" I reply. The truth is, he looks pretty damn hot! He bought some black Vans, black shorts, and a faded blue Hurley shirt. A new pair of sunglasses perches on top of his head and he looks like he even got a little bit of a tan.

Sam doesn't reply, but walks into our bedroom and puts a few bags down. Great. He's still peeved from last night. I flick the TV off with an exasperated sigh and get up. I walk towards him, but stop to lean in the doorframe.

"Alight, let's have it," I say. Sam bends up and tightens his jaw.

"Let's have what, Six?" he replies, mimicking my tone. I roll my eyes and shake my head at him.

"Go ahead and tell me why you're pissed so we can get over this stupid 'Let's pretend everything's okay, but still not talk about it' stage. I don't want you moping around everywhere because frankly I don't want to deal with it," I state. Sam looks at me blankly before giving me a dumbfounded look.

"Why am I pissed? Let's think; you and John want Sarah and I to sit at home and pretend everything's okay while you guys are off fighting to Mogs. You know, it's just _fine _if we wait for you, but then find out you're dead! Do you know how that would feel, Six? Why the hell can't I go with you? I mean, Sarah's one thing, but me? Come on! I can fight!" Sam yells. I rub my temples and mutter a couple curse words before replying.

"Sam, you listen to me right now, okay? There will be over _two hundred_ Mogadorian scouts, soldiers, beasts, guns, planes, everything! Look, the _reason _I was sent to Earth was to get rid of them. It was never your destiny and it never will be. Can't you understand that this isn't your fight?" I ask. I try to keep my voice neutral, but it isn't working out too well.

"Not my fight? Not my fight, Six? They freaking _took my father_! Now, you explain to me how it isn't my damn fight!" Sam shouts.

"Because you can't beat them Sam! I'm sorry! I don't want to make you feel weak, because you aren't, but no human can beat them! You don't understand what this is like! _They destroyed my planet! Y_ou honestly just don't know what they're capable of and if you think I'm going to let you go and essentially commit suicide, you're insane. I'm _not _letting you die, Sam."

"You're doing the same thing! It's going to be _five versus two hundred_! How are _you _not committing suicide, Six? That's like… forty Mogs per person!"

"I've done it before," I reply in a low tone. "I've been training my whole _life _for the day we take get revenge. I _need _to do this, Sam. For Julianne… I _need _to do this."

Sam stares at me for a while before bowing his head down. He barely nods his head, but shuts his eyes and sighs.

"I understand. I just don't want to be away from you," Sam says. Hoping and pray with all my willpower that something happens I close my eyes.

_You won't be, _I think loudly. I hear a small gasp and immediately open my eyes. Sam's eyes are wide in shock as they dart back in forth between me and the space in front of him. I smile a little while he fumbles over words.

"Six, I-I think… I just… I don't, I… I think I…" Sam stumbles. I give him a small laugh and interrupt him.

"Did you just hear me thinking?" I ask him. He pins his eyebrows together and stares at me in confusion.

"How did you know?" Sam asks.

"Try and think something really loudly and aim it towards me," I direct him. Sam shuts his eyes and frowns in concentration. Soon enough, I hear his voice in my head.

_What the hell is this? _I hear. I smile and walk towards him. As soon as I'm close enough, I place my hand on his chest and smile.

"It means," I say in a seductive manner while walking my fingers up his chest to his neck, "that we both are in complete and total love with each other. It means that we're being stupid and should stop fighting. John and Sarah got it back in Barcelona."

"Oh," is all he says. I get close to his lips, but stare up at him with saddened eyes.

"I don't want to fight," I whisper. Thankfully, I feel his hand on the back of my head.

"Neither do I," Sam says. "But I-"

"Then shut up," I interrupt, "and kiss me." I lean into his body and feel all of the tension melt away as our lips meet. Thankfully, he doesn't fight it, but instead immediately pulls me towards the bed. I collapse on top of him a resume where we were. My hands are entangled in his hair like my tongue is with his. I find myself tugging at his shirt, which Sam finds so inconvenient that he pulls it off, leaving me on his bare torso.

I feel Sam's hands travel under my shirt, but they simply hold my sides. He's so good about that. I imagine John is too. There's something that makes both of them different from the rest of the perverted male population. Thinking about this makes me smile into him, allowing me to catch my breath. I lean my nose and forehead against his with my eyes closed, but grin again and look into his chocolate eyes.

"You're so beautiful," Sam murmurs as I pull back. He lightly grazes my cheek with the back of his fingers and moves some hair from my face. I blush, embarrassed, but continue to smile. "You're cute when you blush though."

"Thanks," I whisper. He nods a little and we lock eyes. I kiss him softly again, but pull away very slowly. "I love you."

"I love you too."

"Are we okay now?" I ask and bite my lip. Sam pulls my head down and kisses my forehead before wrapping me in a hug.

"Yeah, we're okay."

"So…" I don't know how to begin to ask because I don't want to fight again after all of that. Sam sighs and kisses the top of my head.

"I'll stay, Six. But you better promise me you'll come back," Sam says in a defeated tone.

"I will."

"No, Six. _Promise _me you'll come back. Please."

"I promise, if it's the last promise I ever make, that I'll come back."

* * *

><p>I'm snuggled up in Sam's arms watching TV when I hear a knock at our connecting door. "Come in!" I yell. The door opens and John walks in with a piece of paper in his hand.<p>

"Hey guys. I figured you'd want to see what Nine looks like," John says. He hands me the paper and I come face to face with Number Nine. Even through looking at the picture I feel a small connection meaning it's definitely him. The guy is turn away, but his head is swiveled back. His sandy hair is almost completely covered by the dark brown hood of his sweatshirt, but his piercing green eyes almost pop out of the picture. He's tan, about John's height and build, and has a crooked nose like he's been in too many fights. He's pretty attractive, and come to think of it, _all _of us are. Though I don't know what One, Two, Three, and Eight looked like, I know that most of us are attractive people. Maybe all Loriens are good-looking.

"Have you shown Five and Marina yet?" I ask. John nods.

"Yeah. Marina and Five said that we should probably take a look at where the accident occurred. He was walking in the opposite direction so hopefully he lives that way," John says. I glance at the picture and notice something. He's walking down the sidewalk, but further down instead of a cul-de-sac, there are trees. Lots of trees.

"John… do you think he lives in the forest?" I ask. John furrows his brow and takes the picture from me. He scratches his chin and raises one eyebrow in an observing manner.

"It's possible. I mean, if he's keeping a low profile since Eight died and I assume he has no Cêpan since his pictures are on the internet, it's plausible. That would explain why they're on there if he has no technology. Good thinking, Six," John says. "I'm going to go talk to Five and Marina, alright? Sarah's making some pizza so you guys can go eat if you want." Of course, Sam groans quite loudly in my ear which gets him a punch on the arm.

"Jerk…" he mutters while rubbing his bicep. I snicker and pull myself out of his grasp.

"Come on. Let's go help Sarah," I suggest and pull on his hand. He rises and we walk into John and Sarah's room. The scent of pizza enters my nostrils and immediately my stomach growls. I hadn't realized how hungry I was before. Sam, of course, plops himself on the couch and turns on their TV. "Lazy ass," I mutter at him. He's already been absorbed into the television, so I walk over to Sarah.

"Hey Six," Sarah greets me with a smile on her face.

"Hey Sarah. You need any help?" I ask. Sarah wipes her hands on her jeans and grins.

"Sure. See the dough over there? Just roll it in some flour and stretch it into a circle, but leave some thicker dough on the outside for crust. I nod and go over to wash my hands. Thank god the girl was happy. I guess she and John made up. I walk over to the counter and begin to roll out the dough.

"So… did you and John make up?" I ask bluntly. She doesn't seem to mind because she responds quickly.

"Yeah. I mean, I don't like the idea of staying here, but I know it's for the best. What about you and Sam?" Sarah replies. I look over my shoulder at her and smile.

"Yeah, we're all good. We can just telepathically talk to each other so it's all good," I say. Sarah smiles widely and walks over towards me to grab something.

"So you guys got it then? John told me all about it. That's great!" Sarah exclaims. I blush a little bit at her happiness for us, but it actually feels nice.

"Yeah," I say with a childish smile on my face.

We put dinner together in about thirty minutes and talk like old friends the whole time. She's such an easy and loving person to talk to that I can't shake the guilty feeling in my stomach. Before she calls Sam, I touch her arm causing her to turn to me.

"Hey Sarah? I'm sorry that I've been a bitch to you. I didn't mean I just… I don't know. I guess I wanted the best for you because I knew that this would be so hard for you to deal with." Sarah's face relaxes and she looks thoughtful for a moment.

"It's okay, Six. I forgive you. Honestly, thanks for caring about me. I always thought you just hated me because I was human," Sarah says. I shake my head and smile in disbelief.

"Actually, that's partially why. Not for the reason you're thinking though. I was jealous of you for being able to choose what you wanted to do. My life and fate has been set. Yours hasn't and never will be. Mine… it's basically been written and I have no way of changing that. I have a duty to my planet and to Earth."

"Six… yours hasn't been decided either. Everyone has a choice. You're just choosing the one you feel obligated to, but after this is over… you _do _have a choice," Sarah says. Before I can respond, the door busts open and John limps into the room, bloodied and bruised, with another person draped over his shoulder.

"Get… Marina… now…" he gasps as he stumbles to the ground.

* * *

><p>I gasp as John falls to the floor and immediately run to help him. I kneel at his side and pull the body off of him, but his hood comes off in the process releasing another gasp from me.<p>

"Nine," I breathe. John had shown me the picture last night. But how the hell did he find him? "Six, get the others! Sam, help me get Nine on the couch and John up."

Six sprints out the door while Sam helps me lift Nine on to the couch. John is up on his hands and knees by now, but I can tell he's hurt. I kneel next to him and tilt his face up.

"John? What happened? What's hurt? Tell me," I command him, but with a gentle tone. John coughs and clutches his side.

"I went up on the roof to… catch the sunset, but I saw red lights flashing a street over. So… I went down to check it out and there were trucks of Mogs there. At least…. thirty. Nine was running so I helped him away but… not without a fight. We lost them cause Nine can teleport… but he lost a lot of energy…" John explains. "I'm fine though. Just winded. Only a few cuts and bruises. Nothing to damage my pretty face," he says with a small smile. I smile and wipe some blood off of his temple with my thumb.

"I'm glad you guys are okay," I say. Just then, Six rushes into the room with Marina and Five, the door slamming shut behind them.

"John got attacked by at least thirty Mogs trying to help Nine. They're both okay, just lost some energy. We can get the full story later, but I think it's time to go guys. We need to get Nine strong. He can teleport," I say. They all look at me with wide eyes, but their gazes switch back and forth between John and Nine.

"Let Five and I get some energy back into them. Find any living things like plants and bring them in here. How far away can you get energy from?" Marina asks Five.

"As long as I can see it then it shouldn't be a problem," Five says. I nod and go to open up the window. Then, I start packing John and my things. In only five minutes our bags are packed and at the door as well as Sam's and Six's. I go over to the others' rooms and pack they're things as well and bring them over. Then, I lock up the door and wait for what the plan is. John is now up and eating to try and get some energy back into his system. Five and Marina look tired, but Nine seems to be coming to.

"Whaa-?" Nine moans. We all rush over to him as he cracks his eyes open. "Who the hell are you?" he asks with a strong Irish accent.

"Five."

"Seven."

"Six."

"Four."

"What about you two?" he asks looking at Sam and I. I hate having to explain all this.

"I'm Sarah and that's Sam. We're friends trying to help. How are you feeling?" I ask him.

"Like bloody hell. But I'll survive. Where are we?" he asks.

"Doesn't matter," John says from the kitchen. "We're leaving for Germany." It's then that my stomach drops. Germany. To go fight over two hundred Mogadorians. While I stay here. Sam and I both look white and close our eyes dreading this decision.

"Looks like you've seen a ghost there, Sarah. You okay?" Nine asks. I nod and get up.

"Excuse me for a moment," I say and walk to the bathroom. I swiftly walk past John and lock the door. I turn on the fan so no one can hear me silently stifle the sobs that are making their way out my mouth. There's a large lump in my throat and tears blur my vision. I sit on the closed toilet seat and bury my face in my hands. I don't hear the door open. I don't feel the hands on top of my own. I don't hear my name until it's repeated once more.

"Sarah," John says. "Sarah, please look at me." I slowly lift away my hands and sniff before looking up at his distraught face. I know he hates seeing me upset. I know it kills him, but I know that I can't contain this feeling anymore.

"John, please don't go," I plead. His hands move to my face and he looks at me with apologetic eyes.

"Sarah, honey, you know I can't do that. They can't do it alone," he says.

"I know, but why you? Why did it have to be you, John?" I ask not meaning to actually say the words aloud.

"I don't know. I honestly don't know, but life isn't fair that way. It doesn't matter though because I'm coming back. I promise I'll be back," John says. I nod into him and reach my arms out as he leans into me. I bury my face in his shoulder and gently let my tears fall again. Why did the most loving, beautiful, caring person have to go and face death? Why John? I feel his hand gently stroke the back of my head and hear his words gently try to soothe me.

"How long?" I ask with a whimper.

"I don't know," I hear him reply in a hushed voice. I feel like my heart rips in half and something comes over me. The tears stop falling and as soon as I lean back, I attack him with my lips. I'm so forceful that with one hand he holds the back of my head and with the other John lowers himself to the ground. I had basically lunged off of the toilet seat into him, but I don't care. I just need him _right now_.

My hands gently pull on the backside of his neck and head so that we're as close as possible. Our lips and tongues battle, but I let him win and simply melt into his body. Every time I feel him beginning to slow down, I immediately fight back, wanting him more than I ever have since I first saw his face. The face that is on the head of the boy laying on the bathroom tiles making out with me. The face that I can't live without. The face that makes my world go round. The face that is going to face death without me by its side.

"Sarah," I hear him gasp through the small time of breath I gave him while I was thinking. Immediately, I try to kiss him again, but he smiles softly and catches my face with his hands.

"Not that I didn't enjoy that," he whispers, "but we need to go. I _promise _that won't be the last time that happens, okay?"

"You promise?" I ask shakily.

"I promise. I promise I'll come back. I promise we'll get married. I promise we'll have kids. I promise to give you everything you want. I promise to love you forever. I promise that this will be the last time I will _ever _leave you Sarah Hart. And I will never break any of those promises. Ever."

"I love you John."

"I love you too."

**Awwww so cute! I just LOVE them together. I hate people who like Six/John… they sicken me… ugh. Anyhow, I hope you enjoyed! I have to admit though… this is probably going to end at Chapter 30! Sorry! But all stories must come to a close! Please review and suggest to other obsessed IANF fans like me ;)**


	25. A Painful Goodbye And Arrival

**joro3: Yeah, they disgust me… and jeez I don't need the paperwork to fill out from YOU having a mental breakdown! Keep it together ;) And ehh… I dunno. We'll see though(:**

**Nzbeach: I'M SORRY. But it has to:P Thanks though(:**

**aBrokenJar: Thank you(: And I like them as friends too! The ending was my favorite part ;) And I'm glad that my writing gave you that effect!**

**WonderMelon: No… just, no… you have major issues.**

**The Maximum Ride: Did you know I absolutely LOVE your reviews?(: THANK YOU SO MUCH. And sorry, but it has to end! And no, probably no sequel because of what's going to happen at the end! I might figure something out though(:**

**IfIHadYouIWould: Thanks(:**

**So I started writing this in civics today (ahem… nzbeach) and I got to almost the end of the page, but now I realize how little it actually was… anyhow enjoy!**

* * *

><p>"So all you have to do is picture where you want me to take you and we'll teleport right there," Nine says to Sarah. She had called her parents earlier and explained part of the situation, just not the "my-boyfriend-is-going-to-fight-aliens-in-Germany" part. She and Sam would be staying there until we came back from Germany, well… if, but I put the thought out of my mind. Sarah nods at Nine like she's in a trance as he explains the teleportation process to her and Sam. Her eyes stare holes into the carpet and I feel that all too familiar sense of dread in my stomach.<p>

"And that's all there is to it," Nine concludes. Sarah finally looks up and our eyes lock. Nine notices this and nods subtly to me while walking off to speak with Five and Marina. This is probably awkward for those three since Six and I would be saying our goodbyes to the people we love.

"Hey," Sam says with a weak voice. I turn to him and notice the pain clear written all over his face.

"Hey, Sam," I say. I pull him into an embrace and stand there for a few seconds hugging my best friend. My right hand man. My brother. "You keep her safe, alright? Both of you stay safe."

"I will, John. We'll stay safe," Sam says. He glances over his shoulder and leans forward though. "Don't let Six kill herself. All of you stay safe or… I'll come over there and kick your ass." I grin at him and hug him once more. "Good luck, John. Get a couple Mogs for me, alright?"

"You know I will," I say. Then, Six comes up and grabs Sam's hand. I nod at him and turn towards the person who for the one time in my life, I'm dreading to see.

I cough and walk up to Sarah. I take her hand in mine and lead her to the opposite side of the room where it's quieter and no one will hear us talk. Six and Sam are already on the other side of the room hugging each other tightly. Immediately my throat constricts knowing that I'll be doing the same thing momentarily.

"John… please don't tell me goodbye. I really don't want to hear you say goodbye," Sarah pleads quietly. I instantly pull her close to my chest and lay my face on top of her hair taking in the scent that I'll soon be taken from. I kiss the top of her head and rub slow circles on the small of her back, but I know nothing is making it easier for either of us.

"I'm not saying goodbye, Sarah. Think of it as my final exam for training. Then I can go into retirement," I say trying to lighten the mood. Sarah lets out a short laugh through her stifled sobs which makes me pull her even closer. "It's okay to cry," I whisper, "I won't let anyone see it." With that having been said, I feel my shoulder quickly start to dampen. I hush her soothingly and gently rock her back and forth.

"You better come back to me Number Four," Sarah says into my body. I can feel my throat getting dry. Sarah rarely calls me Four unless she's in an extreme type of mood whether it be anger, love, or, like this, sadness. I release her and cup her face in my hands. I brush away the last tears on her cheeks with my thumbs as well as a couple strands of hair clinging to her face.

"You know, I seem to remember telling you that I'd never lie to you the first night we kissed. Do you remember that?" I ask gently. Sarah nods with a sad smile and grabs onto one of my hands slowly kissing it. "Well, then you know I'll keep my promises. All of them. There's not a damn thing that's going to stand in my way, alright?" Sarah nods again and wraps her arms around me once more.

"John…" Marina warns me with a gentle tone in her voice. I nod at her knowing that it's time to go, but also asking her to give me a minute. She backs away and goes to get Six as well.

"Sarah, we'll be able to talk if we concentrate hard enough so just remember that. I love you so much," I say to her.

"I love you too. Stay safe for me, John," Sarah says. I nod and let out a deep breath. In a flash, our lips crash together and we share the last kiss until I return. Until the world is safe. Until we can live together in peace. But only if I survive. At last we break apart and because I can't fight the pain, I lean my forehead against hers and look at the ground.

"Stay safe, Sarah," I whisper. With that I squeeze her hand gently one last time and walk away not wanting to have to go through anymore pain. I feel a hand grab mine though and it whips me back.

As soon as my body turns, I feel harsh lips pressed to mine. Sarah's hands entwine themselves in my hair and simply pull at my head forwards. My hands roughly hold her face and press it against mine. Now, explain to me how the hell I'm supposed to live without this for at least two weeks? I savor my last few moments with her, but I feel a hand on my shoulder and break away.

"We need to go," Nine says.

"I'm so sorry," I whisper to her.

"I forgive you. I love you, John," Sarah says.

"I love you too," I say. I kiss her forehead quickly and drop her hand allowing Nine to whisk her and Sam back to Paradise. After a few seconds of silence, there's a sound like wind, and then silence again. As tempted as I am to turn around, I know that they're both gone. I grip the edge of the sofa hard and lean over it. I feel like I'm going to vomit. I clench my jaw and eyes together trying to get a hold of myself. I feel a warm hand on top of mine, almost like Sarah's, but I know it's only Six.

"They're safe," Nine says as he pops back into the room. He was gone maybe a minute or two at the most meaning he probably just dropped them off, said goodbye, and left without even making sure they were out of harm's way.

"Alright, let's go. I'll take Marina and Five first?" Nine suggests. No one objects, but I hear a sigh and shuffling. Then, I hear the whoosh from Nine's teleportation again.

"We'll see them again," Six says in a tone I've never heard her use before. Her voice seemed… broken. It's so un-Six like and it kind of frightens me. There's another pop and Nine appears in front of me panting a little.

"Jesus, I'm glad you too are the last of the lot. This is killing me! Alright, grab hold of me, each of you," Nine instructs. I take hold of his arm not caring how awkward it may seem and just imagine the specific location that Marina had told us to think of. All of a sudden, my legs are whipped from under me and my breath is sucked away. The whole room blurs away from me and I shut my eyes to keep from getting dizzy. The urge to vomit doubles, and I almost do, except that soon my feet hit ground again and I slowly open my eyes.

Six, Nine, Five, and Marina are standing in front of me by a large wooden shed. We seem to be beside a large brick building in a dirt path in the middle of the country. I glance around and notice that we're actually on an abandon farm due to the overgrowth of vegetation and the state of the buildings. Down the dirt path, there's a large field of grass, but then a main road seems to cut through it all.

"What are we gonna do? Hijack a lawn mower?" Five asks. He actually gets a snicker out of me and small grins from the rest of us.

"Nope. We're gonna hijack _that_," Nine says and nods to the main road. I hear the roar of an engine and turn to get a better look. A glossy black freaking _Lamborghini _was speeding down the road! I mean, what the hell? In the middle of the country in Germany?

"Damn," I breathe. Nine flashes a grin over his shoulder before disappearing. The car swerves for a second, continues on, and then finally skids to a stop. We take that as the invitation to run, so we do so. When we get there, Nine has on a pair of black sunglasses and is lounging in the front seat. I grin at him and pile in the back with Marina and Six. As soon as Five shuts the door, Nine speeds off causing me to fall back into my seat.

"Where are we going?" Nine asks.

"About 30 kilometers away from the base. That should be enough space between both of us if we keep a low profile. I can think of where to go. Can you teleport the whole car?" Six asks. Nine re-grips the steering wheel and slows down.

"We'll find out. Hold on," Nine says. Then, we're gone.

* * *

><p>We hit the pavement right behind the building I remember hiding at when I escaped the base. The car lurches forward as well as bouncing up, but Nine slams on the breaks before we hit anything. I bite my tongue in the process and taste the metallic crimson blood begin to flow out of my tongue.<p>

"Never. Again," I say in an irritated tone.

"I second that notion," John groans. I had been sitting on him due to the lack of seats in this damn car, so I'm pretty sure I crushed his, well… hopefully he can still have kids.

"Sorry," I say. John puts up and hand, but doubles over in pain as I move off of him out of the car.

"I'll be okay," he grunts. I snicker at him and offer him my hand which he takes gratefully. "Thanks," John says. I nod in appreciation and turn towards the others.

"Alright, now where the hell do we put this thing?" I ask.

"Where do you want it?" Nine asks me. An evil smile appears on my face.

"Can you get it on the roof over there? If we all get inside it'll be easier to teleport and we'll have something to drive in," I suggest. Nine nods and places his hand on the car. In a flash, they both disappear, but almost as quickly as he vanished, Nine's back.

"Alright… I need some food…" Nine pants.

"Well, let's get checked in first. Then we can go eat somewhere and go over our attack plans," Marina says. "But, where are we exactly?"

"Villingen-Schwenningen. We're 32 kilometers from their base which is ironically, in the Black Forest," I say.

"Cliché much?" Five says. For once, we all laugh and begin to walk out of the parking lot we were in. Everyone looks around in awe at the many buildings, people walking on the sidewalks, and cars zooming down the road. Everyone was used to small towns, not huge ones.

"I thought we needed to stay somewhere populated this time. They don't know that we're coming. They probably think we're running away after the whole San Diego fiasco so I figured we should just blend in with all the people. Come with me," I say and begin to walk in the all too familiar path. I hadn't been here since I escaped and it's bringing back bad, bad memories. It's making me second guess myself for doing this. To be honest, I'm _not _ready to die. Maybe I was before I met John, but now… now I have a life to look forward to; I have someone to look forward to; I can't let that be taken away.

We weave in and out through the crowd knowing that the others are right behind me and stop at the fancy double doors. They slide automatically open and I walk into the main lobby. The same lobby I was in where they looked at me like I was crazy for requesting a room all by myself.

"Hello, welcome to the Central Hotel. How may I help you?" the old man with a thick German accent asks me. I slide him the card I had gotten three years ago and as he looks at it, he raises his eyebrows in surprise. "Ms. Maren Elizabeth? As in, the one who rents out the penthouse to others? Welcome! It's been too long! Here are your keys. Have a nice time." I say thank you and walk to the elevator.

"Wait, did he say penthouse? How many rooms are there?" John asks.

"Enough," I say simply. Well that shut him up. When we get in the elevator I slide my card into the key hole and it immediately brings us to the top floor. As the doors open, I see that nothing has changed: the same white walls and ceiling; the same navy rugs; the same open feel to the room; even the same smell to the room. "Welcome home," I say to nobody at all. "I get the room on the far left closest to the balcony. I don't care what other ones you guys take. Stairs lead to the roof where the car is."

I walk into my room and notice that they haven't taken the stupid connecting door out. Whatever. This'll be the last time I'll ever use this place anyhow. I throw my bags on the bed, but go over and swing the connecting door open.

"Okay, this door stays locked at all-" I begin to say, but notice who's there. "Oh, hey. Never mind."

"Okay. Six?" John asks. I turn to him with raised eyebrows asking him to continue. "If you need to talk… I'm right here," John says softly. I smile at him and walk into his arms, hugging him like a giant teddy bear.

"Thanks, John," I say and give him a small kiss on the cheek before receding into my own room. I unpack my things and lay down on my bed thinking about what's about to unfold over the next couple days or weeks.

First of all, we need to check out the base. I haven't been there in over three years, so I know there has to be some adjustments. Next, we need to set up some surveillance. We need to be tracking the Mogadorians' movements so we can strike at the perfect time. Then, we need to figure out an attack plan. Everything will require precise timing and strategy is we're supposed to try and beat them. Finally, we have to execute the plan. The final step will be the hardest and obviously the most dangerous. It's the final step to Earth's life or death, and possibly the final action I'll ever do.

"_Hey," _I hear. Sam's voice startles me, but I quickly recover and just feel myself unravel with the sound of his voice. "_Six?"_

"_Hey, Sam. I'm here," _I think.

"_Did you guys get in safe? How are you? Where are you?" _Sam asks.

"_Yeah, everyone's fine. We're at the Central Hotel in Villingen-Schwenningen. I'm… good," _I think. I bite my lip in anticipation because I _know _he won't believe that I'm okay.

"_Six… don't lie to me, please," _I hear in response. I sigh and get up to change clothes.

"_I'm just thinking about everything, Sam. I'm wondering what's going to happen," _I think and start stripping off my clothes. I find some comfortable clothes in my bag and pull on a T-shirt and black athletic shorts. I pull my hair up into a bun and walk out into the kitchen to get a glass of water.

"_See? I should've come with you so you wouldn't have to deal with all this alone," _Sam says. I pull a glass out of the cabinet and push the water button on the fridge before filling the glass up.

"_John's been pretty supportive. We're going through the same thing so he's easy to talk to. How is it at the Hart's?" _I ask before yawning and returning to my room. I lay down on the bed, shut the lights off, and crawl under the covers before closing my eyes.

"_Well good. And it's great. Her family is so nice and generous that I don't see how she could've ever left. When we got in her parents just about smothered both of us in hugs before setting me up in the spare bedroom. Don't tell John, but Sarah's taking it pretty hard. I'm assuming that they're talking right now, but she was a mess a little while ago." _Damn it, he's probably the same way right now. He's just not showing it. I swallow the lump in my throat that had formed by washing it down with some water.

"_Oh. Well… how are _you_, Sam? And don't lie to me," _I think sternly at him.

"_I'm not as bad as Sarah, but… yeah, I'm not okay. I've been thinking about what's going to happen too and I just can't stand the thought of you going up against at least forty Mogs," _Sam thinks back. I let out a shaky breath and take another sip of water. Thank god he can't see me right now.

"_I'm so sorry, Sam. I just… I could never let you come into battle knowing that it'd be my fault if you died or even got hurt. I can't live with that," _I think. I yawn and snuggle into the blankets knowing that I'll most likely pass out soon.

"_I know, I know I just… I want to be with you. When do you think you guys are going to go in?" _Sam asks.

"_I dunno. We need to scout the base out, set up some surveillance and make a plan before going in. Most likely in about two to three weeks. Listen, Sam, I'm dead. I gotta get some sleep, okay? I'll talk to you tomorrow. Goodnight. I love you," _I think.

"_I love you too."_

* * *

><p>I finish writing down the details of what she said before heading towards Sarah's room. I lightly knock on the door before entering.<p>

"Hey, Sarah. You done talking to John?" I ask. She leans her head back upside down off of the bed and nods. I walk over and sit on the edge as she puts her head on my lap. "How's he doing?"

"He's okay. I can tell he's really stressed though. He misses both of us a lot, but he says he'd rather have to miss us then worry," Sarah says in a monotone sort of voice. We sit in silence for a few seconds before I realize why I came up to talk to her.

"Oh, Sarah, I forgot to tell you why I came up here. I got where they're staying and what their plans as far as time for battle go. What'd you manage to find out?" I ask.

"John was pretty tight-lipped about where they were so I wouldn't go find them, but I did find out that the Mog base in the Black Forest and that they were in the Penthouse of a really sweet hotel," Sarah says.

"They're in the Central Hotel in Villingen-Schwenningen. They plan to execute their plan within two to three weeks," I explain. Sarah nods and shuts her eyes.

"So when should we go?" Sarah asks.

"I say next week and we can lay low in a hotel far away from there. I'll check the ticket prices tonight. Airlines will be a hassle with my identity, but I'll make a new passport and I have a beard basically now so I should be okay. There's still reminisce of that crappy hair dye in me as well. Are you sure about this?" I ask.

"As sure as I'll ever be."

**Mmmm… sorry it took me long to update. I've had some writer's block recently:P Yeah, shocker, I know. I'm ALWAYS writing, but I've had a long week. I hope you liked the ending with Sam's POV and little cliffhanger. It's pretty easy to figure out their plan, but if you don't then… you need to go back to second grade. As always, please review!**


	26. Kellan and Cameras

**WonderMelon: NO. John/Sarah is times better than John/Six! And you get no shout out for being dirty! Read the books and you'll like John/Sarah **_**way **_**better.**

**Clay19: Thanks(:**

**Okay, I hope you enjoyed my last chapter! I promise this one will be better(: Only four more:( But here you go!**

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><p>I hear a soft knock at my door and look up from the book I'm reading. "Come in," I say. The door opens and Nine walks through holding two mugs that are steaming slightly.<p>

"Hot chocolate? I found a couple packs in the cupboard and just whipped them up," Nine says with a shrug. I grin at him and place my book on the night stand while leaning to sit up.

"Sure," I reply with a smile. I pat the end of the bed for him to sit down and sit cross-legged towards my pillows. "Have a seat." Nine smiles and plops himself down before handing over a mug. I take it in my hands and feel the heat radiate off before taking a sip, careful not to burn my mouth. As soon as the liquid hits my tongue, I melt into a world of chocolate and caramel. "This. Is. So. Good."

Nine chuckles and takes a sip. He has such a cute laugh and accent. I smile inwardly and take another sip. "I hope you don't mind, but I added a little bit of caramel that was in the refrigerator. It needed something extra," he says.

"Oh, no it's perfect," I say. Nine smiles at me with his perfect white teeth and kicks his shoes off. He brings his feet up onto the bed and leans against the wall beside the bed.

"So, tell me about yourself, Seven," Nine says with his lips curved upward into a small smile. I don't even bother correcting him because I'm so entranced by his presence.

"Well, what do you want to know?" I ask.

"Hmmm… just anything. I already know that Six and Sam are an item as well as Sarah and John, but I can't get anything else out of them. They seem solid as rocks. What about you? Are you and Five…?" Nine begins, but I furiously shake my head.

"No, no. He seems sort of closed off. John and Six are easier to get along with when they have Sam and Sarah with them so don't take it too hard. But, no, definitely not. I went to an all-girl Catholic school before that so there wasn't much luck there either," I reassure him. Nine grins at me and I find my heart racing a little.

"Oh, well that's a good thing to keep in mind," he says with a wink. I grin at him and take another taste of my drink.

"Well, what about you? I'm sure you must have _someone _back in San Diego," I say smugly, but Nine only shakes his head.

"Nope. The only person I've ever loved was my Cêpan and he died. I'm assuming everyone's did," Nine says solemnly. I look down at the brown liquid in my cup and take a sip. There's a moment of silence before I clear my throat.

"So… you want to play twenty questions?" I ask.

"Sounds good. You go first," Nine says. I smile and cock my head to the right a little.

"What's your favorite name you've ever been called?" I ask.

"Kellan. My Cêpan, Torin, gave me the name. It's Irish for 'warrior' whereas his meant 'the chief'," Nine says.

"I really like that name. Could I call you that?" I ask shyly.

"Sure," he says with a grin, "but that doesn't count as a question. Which place have you ever lived is your favorite?"

I groan and reply, "I don't have one. I've been at Santa Teresa ever since we got to Earth. What about you?"

"Can't you tell? Ireland. I grew up there mostly and left for San Diego a year ago after my Cêpan died. What powers do you have?" Kellan asks me.

"Well, I can heal people, I have telekinesis, I can breathe underwater, I have night vision, and I just have physical enhancements like everyone else," I explain. Kellan nods with every word I say and smiles at me. I cock my head to the side and give him a lopsided grin. "Why do you keep smiling at me?"

"It's hard not to," he says reflecting the same smile I have plastered on my face.

"Well what about you? What powers do you have?" I ask.

"Well, I have telekinesis and the physical enhancements as well, but as you've seen I can teleport. Want to know the coolest thing I can do?" Kellan asks me. I nod eagerly and smile waiting for him to show me. He reaches in his back pocket and pulls out a nickel. Then, he closes his hand and slowly reopens it to reveal a flower blossoming in his palm.

"Wow," I breathe.

"Yeah. I can shape shift objects into whatever I want them to be. I can turn lint into a stack of money or a pebble into a machine gun. Guns are the most complex thing's I've figured out though. I couldn't just make a car or a jet appear, but I'm working at it," Kellan says with a smile. He hands the flower to me which makes me blush slightly before thanking him and putting it on my night stand. Then, there's a knock at the door.

"Hey, you two," John says as he pops his head through the door. "Six said to get ready because we're leaving in five minutes. We're going to go scout out the base." With that, he closes the door and walks away.

I clear my throat and say, "Well, I guess we'll have to continue our game later."

Kellan smiles at me before sliding on his shoes and taking both mugs in his hands. "Definitely."

* * *

><p>"Okay, everyone in," Six says as she jumps in the driver's seat. Thankfully, I was able to snag shot gun, but Five glares at me as he gets in the back. Nine, a little too quickly, volunteers to let Marina sit on him which of course makes me raise my eyebrow at him. Nine blushes a little and turns away which of course lets me know that they probably like each other. Maybe Sarah was right before; maybe no one decides who we fall for and it just happens. I smile at the memory of her and I on the plane, but soon it's whisked away with the sick feeling of teleporting.<p>

It's over soon enough though for soon we're on road and Six is driving. I groan and ask, "How the hell do you do that all the time, Nine?" He laughs a little and pats my shoulder.

"You'll get used to it. And it's Kellan. Sorry I never made that clear before," he says. I nod in approval, but something tells me that he hadn't cared what he was called until his little chat with Marina. They glance at each other and exchange warm smiles which only makes my longing for Sarah grow stronger.

We drive for a good forty-five minutes before the trees along the road are so dense that there's barely sunlight coming through. Six pulls off and drives narrowly in between two large trees before stopping the car.

"Alright, now here's what's going to happen. Ni- Kellan is going to take Marina and Five with him and teleport. I'll be with John and turn invisible. But-"

"Actually, I'd prefer to go alone. I have a zero-gravity Legacy so I can climb on the trees. No offense, but I favor doing stealth work alone," Five says.

"Fine. As I was saying, we need to make sure we're as quiet as possible. I'm sure that Mogs are scattered everywhere. Some look human so do _not _engage _anyone_. Here are some maps of the perimeter of the place. The red X is where we need to meet after we're finished. It's a blind spot for the Mogs' security system. So, Five, you can take the east side, Kellan and Marina can take the south, and John and I will take the north. The west is the entrance and I already have the covered. Just record anything you need and set up these little cameras I brought. Any questions?" There's silence except for the rustling of the leaves on the trees. "Alright then, let's go."

Six immediately grabs my hand and I lose vision of any part of my body. We creep silently through the grass patches being careful not to step on any leaves for one false move could trigger an alarm. I clutch her hand tightly for support and Six squeezes it in reassurance, but I can only think about how different her hand is compared to Sarah's. God I miss her…

Suddenly, my hand is jerked to the side and I'm knocked up against a tree. Six covers my mouth to keep me from yelling because a seemingly normal looking person walks by, yet I know that they're not. I feel the scratch on my forehead and wipe the blood off before we start following the Mog. We match our footsteps with his to make sure he doesn't notice, but the Mog seems pretty clueless as he leads us to the base. Six sets up cameras along the way and we peel away from him right as we hit a clearing.

There are Mogs walking around _everywhere_. The ones in human form quickly shift back into their pale, razor-sharp teethed, bald-headed selves and walk through the door. They talk to each other and speak in strange tongues making my head swirl. There are at least fifty outside, but where are the rest? The Mogadorians are surrounding a random space in the forest with guns and cameras. I finally realize though, that the space is a sheet of camouflage.

The building is made entirely of stone, but the camouflage sheets and drapes around it make it almost impossible to see unless you're, well, unless you're one of us. The whole thing is basically a giant stone box. It has to have over thirty rooms and is almost forty feet tall. The walls look thicker than two feet and look stronger than steel. The roof has cameras and electrical fence surrounding it as well as it being guarded. I start to walk towards the base, but Six jerks me back.

"No, John. We're only getting surveillance on the outside. I have a good layout of the inside already," Six whispers.

"Okay," I respond in an equally quiet voice. We carefully walk around the outskirts of the base and plant small, unnoticeable cameras all around. I even catch a glimpse of Marina and Kellan towards the entrance. After thirty minutes of near-death experiences and silent work, we manage to cover our sides of the base and even a few extra spots. Soon, we retreat back into the woods and go to the red X which is placed right over a large cave, but with the entrance covered in strings of leaves, moss, and vines.

Six collapses into the cave breathing heavily from having to work so hard. I kneel down beside her and give her a short burst with my Lumen. "Thanks," she breathes. I nod at her and wait for the others. Soon enough, Five returns breathing even heavier than Six while Marina and Kellan get back with no physical weakness to be seen.

"Alright, let's get out of here," I say, "Kellan, can you take Five and Marina first, and then come back for Six and I?" He nods and in a flash, they're gone. However, he pops back in a few seconds and soon enough, we all plop into the car. Six quickly puts the car into gear and speeds off out of the trees down the road.

"Five, reach into my back pack will you? Grab the black tablet and hand it to John," Six says. I swivel around to face him as he shuffles around in her bag. He pulls out a black tablet and hands it to me. I flip open the cover and see it's like a giant phone. I press the circular button on the bottom and it comes to life asking me for a pass code. "It's 7264." I quickly touch the numbers and it opens to reveal many tiny screens with moving images. Some are green and others are in full color.

"Are these the cameras?" I ask. Six nods.

"Yeah. The ones in green are in night vision because it's too dark where they're placed. But, we should be able to monitor the whole building," Six explains. I nod and suddenly undergo the feeling of being teleported. However, it ends quickly and I can finally see the sun again. The light almost blinds me since I was in almost complete darkness before.

"Damn it, Kellan! Warn me next time, alright? I don't wanna puke in this gorgeous car!" I yell and send him a telekinetic smack to the back of the head. He grins devilishly and opens the car door for Marina to get out. I shove open my door and step out onto the roof. Five and the others start walking towards the stairs, but I walk the other way and sit on the concrete roof.

"Hey, John, are you coming or what?" asks Kellan.

"I'm good! I'll be there in a few," I reply back. I hear the door shut and shut my eyes to bask in the silence, but the sound of movement against the cement causes me to open my eyes.

"Alright, let's talk," Six says. She puts a hand on my shoulder and I slant my mouth to the left. I sigh and look up at her directly in the eyes.

"There's nothing to talk about, Six. I miss Sarah; you miss Sam; that's all there is to it. It's whatever though. The only thought that keeps crossing my mind is if I fight, I'm risking death, but if I run, I know for a fact that I'll never have a life with her," I say. Six nods and leans her head on my shoulder.

"I feel the exact same way, but we were given this mission to save Earth first, and then create a family. It sucks and it's not fair, but life is unfair. It's cruel, dark, and selfish and as soon as we're done here, I'm going back to Lorien. I don't care what it'll be like, but I'm going back. I'm bringing Sam and if it's possible, I'm going to live there. We're going to beat these guys, John. We will." I lean my head on top of hers and gaze off into the sky.

"I sure hope so, Six."

* * *

><p>"Thanks for dinner, Mrs. Hart. It was <em>amazing<em>," Sam says. I roll my eyes at him, but my parents only laugh.

"Oh, you're welcome! It's like having the boys back home! They ate _so _much all the time! What is it with you teenage boys?" my mom asks him. Sam shrugs and gets up with his plate to go put it in the dishwasher.

"Sarah, can I have a word?" my dad asks me from across the table. I nod and put my napkin down while getting up from my chair. Uh oh. This doesn't seem good. We walk through the living room and go down the hallway to the family room so that we're away from my mom and Sam. "Alright, Sarah. I know this might be hard for you, but why'd you leave?"

"Dad, I told you, John and Jane had to go deal with some financial issues about their parents and we-" I try to explain, but he puts a hand up.

"No, Sarah, I want the truth. I want the truth about why you two ran off in the first place right after an attack in the high school. Who is he?" my dad asks. I sigh.

"He's an alien, Dad. What do you want to hear?" I ask.

"The truth! And as a matter of fact, an alien seems like a better explanation then what you're giving me right now!" my dad starts to yell. Anger boils up inside of me and I clench my fists.

"Well he _is _an alien, Dad! John and Jane are both aliens who had to go fight the bad ones trying to take over our planet! There's your answer!" I yell and storm off. I run upstairs and slam my door. With adrenaline still pumping through my veins, I open my laptop and search the flights to Germany. I hear the door open, but I know it's only Sam. Quickly, I browse to the soonest available flights.

"Sarah, what are you doing? I thought we were going to leave in a week," Sam says gently.

"I don't care, Sam. I _need _to see him. I just… I just need to get away from here, okay? Just anywhere," I say shakily. Sam tentatively lifts my hands off of my laptop and he shuts it.

"Listen to me, Sarah. If we go too soon, they'll just make us leave again. We need to go at the exact time, okay? And we can go. We can go anywhere, but there for now, okay? Where do you want to go?" Sam asks me.

"I want to go to John's house."

Ten minutes later, I find myself on the doorstep of John's old home. I grab Sam's hand for support and he squeezes it gently as I turn the knob. The house is covered in dust, but it still smells like the same house they lived in. I turn left and follow the hallway until I get to his room. Shakily, I turn the handle and open the door. It creaks as I open it and the room looks like it's been frosted with grey icing.

I walk to his wall and find the map of the places he's been to and take it down. I fold it carefully and slide it into my pocket. I then look at his bed and remember the days we talked, laid, kissed, and slept there. I bet it still smells like him under the blanet of dust. I remember my first night home how he hid under the covers and wouldn't let me leave. I remember how sweet he was in the morning. I remember everything about him.

"_John, I love you so much,"_ I think.

"_I love you too, Sarah. Are you okay?" _I hear in response.

"_I'm fine. I just miss everything about you," _I think again.

"_You know… you were never the best liar. Sarah, love, what's wrong?" _I hear back.

"_I'm just… I'm in your old house. I'm just remembering everything," _I reply. There's silence for a few minutes before his voice enters my head again.

"_Oh. Well, I'll be home soon. We got the surveillance set up today so we should have a pretty good idea of what we're up against," _John says.

"_Tell me about it," _I say.

"_It's enormous. The building is four stories high, there are over fifty Mogs outside at all times, and the weapons they have are huge," _John says. I shut my eyes and shudder at the thought of it. Sam puts a hand on my shoulder and I lean my face against it.

"_Come back soon. I miss you so much, John. I love you," _I say.

"_You know I will. I miss you and love you more each day," _John says.

"_Goodnight, John." _

"_Goodnight, Sarah." _

**Meh. I don't know if I liked it or not… oh well. Review please!(:**


	27. The Last Supper

**WonderMelon: Did you leave me a long enough review? Jesus Christ… John/Sarah are sexy. Sam/Six are amazing. End of discussion. But thank you(: **

**aBrokenJar: It's all good! And I love them too! I'm pretty siked to write this myself, but I can't let you know what's gonna happen with that ;) Thank you so much though!**

**joro3: I try ;) Thank you! I really like Kellan/Marina because they're that almost perfect couple who are so sweet and nice to everyone(: YES. JOHN/SARAH FOREVER. Knock some sense into WonderMelon… and you just keep hoping ;)**

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><p>"Okay, so here's how it's gonna go down," Six explains. I rub my temples and shut my eyes trying to defog my brain. There are papers, pencils, pens, coffee cups, laptops, and security footage sprawled out across the floor. Everyone's eyes are drooping and their hair is mangled; there are dark rings starting to form under their eyes and everyone is wearing a sweatshirt or sweatpants. Currently, it's pouring rain outside and isn't expected to stop for three days. Luckily, it's a warm rain for it's still a nice seventy-four degrees outside.<p>

"Kellan will teleport into the security room and take out the three Mogs operating inside. He'll kill the guard outside before locking the door, covering the window, and making sure all the bodies are inside the room. Next, he's going to set up the fake feeds which will replace the security footage and send the real footage to me. We'll have microphones and headsets set up between all of us. Each has a tracking device as well in case someone gets in trouble. Then, he's gonna get out of there and get back to us. If everything goes as planned, there should be no alarm. We good so far?" Kellan nods at her seeming eager to learn more while the rest of us are drifting off. "Hey! Wake up! This is life or death!" Six yells. I snap my head up and crack my neck a couple times.

"Sorry, Six, but we've been at this for hours. Everyone has the map of the outside down as well as the interior considering the floors are exact replicas of each other. The roof has one complication which is the stairs where you come up, but even that is barely a hazard because the rest is wide open," I say with a yawn. Six glares at me and points her pen towards my face.

"Now you listen to me, Number Four, and you listen _good_: I'm trying to get everyone out of there alive and I don't want _anything _to happen, got it? Now just shut up and pay attention or I swear to god I'll kill you before the Mogs even get a good look at you," Six threatens in a low voice. Jesus Christ… I had never seen her so scary, even when she was in battle mode!

"Alright, alright. Sorry. Continue please?" I say. Six huffs and looks down at the several maps again.

"Okay… now, next comes the tricky part: I'm going to launch a grenade about a half mile away from the best to lure most of the Mogs out. The more that leave, the better. After that… we go in the building. Now, I need to tell you guys something that I only told John before because I didn't want you guys to do anything rash. You see… on the fourth floor there are eight rooms. One holds Chæmera, another holds children, another teenage girls, another teenage boys, another men, another women, another elderly, and lastly distinguished citizens… of Lorien."

"What?" Kellan yells. "You had no right to keep that from us! My parents could be in there! _Our _families could be in there! You had _no _damn right, Six!" Six takes a deep breath before looking up at us. Everyone's faces have shock written all over them except for Six and I. Marina gently places a hand on Kellan who closes his eyes and pinches the bridge of his nose.

"Look, I'm sorry, okay? If I had told you before now then you would've immediately gone in and gotten yourself killed. We're their only hope and we need to think this through, alright? Anyhow, after we go into the building it'll basically be full-out war. The first floor has all of the beasts and scouts in it, but the second floor is where the more experienced soldiers will be. That'll be the _real _challenge. The third floor consists of their technology, planning rooms, labs, and such. At the back of the third floor, there will be at least four soldiers guarding one room. That's where Setrákus Ra will be. I'm sure you've heard of him?" Six glances at all of us, but we all shake our heads. Six sighs and shakes her head.

"He's the leader of the Mogadorians. Trust me, you can't miss him either. He's twenty feet tall and has a purple scar around throat, but other than that he looks fairly normal. He has tan skin, short hair, and the squarest jaw I've ever seen. But I gotta tell you… it's not gonna be easy taking him down. He's _always _guarded and one punch from him can literally kill you. I've seen it happen way too many times and I'm ready to take this bitch to hell," Six says whilst squeezing a sticky note into a tiny ball.

"How the hell do we take him out then?" Five asks. I grin at him and clear my throat.

"I think I've got that covered. My Cêpan left me some pretty bad-ass weaponry so I'm assuming we can just blow him to bits," I suggest. Five and Kellan grin at me, but Six shakes her head.

"Nope. Only specific tools can kill him. He'll deflect guns and swords with a flick of his wrist so don't even bother. We have to get him alone and kill him solely with our powers. I'm guessing that if we all use our telekinetic powers at once we can choke him out of basically make him implode. The problem isn't killing him… it's getting him alone," Six says with a furrowed brow.

"What if we lure him out somewhere?" Five says. "I could do it."

"No, that's too dangerous. You'll get killed," Six responds.

"I'm not afraid of dying. I have no reason to live after this." Everyone looks at him with questioning eyes as he bows his head staring at the carpet.

"Her name was Emily. Emily Flynn. She was the most beautiful and caring person I've ever met and I fell in love with her. You guys know how that goes… I _am _in love with her. Forever. Anyhow, two years ago in early January she told me she had leukemia. She fought for a year before it finally killed her. I've never been the same since then and the only reason I'm here alive today is so I can save all of those whom she cared about. I won't leave you guys in battle, but as soon as this is over… I'm gonna be with her," Five says. He looks up finally with tears in his eyes, but he doesn't seem to care that any of us see them.

"I'm sorry," I say in a rough voice. I hadn't noticed that his story had really gotten to me until the words left my mouth.

"It's okay. But I want to be the one in the end to lure him out, okay? I can't let anyone else die because I know all of you are in love with someone. Kellan and Marina might not admit it, but I know they are; they know they are; we _all_ know they are," Five says as Kellan and Marina's faces turn scarlet red.

"Guys… it's sort of obvious," I say with a wink making them blush even more.

"John and Six… I've seen how you act with Sarah and Sam. I could never let you kill yourselves knowing that you'd be leaving them. I want to apologize for being such an ass before with Sarah and even you, Six. I just… I was so angry at everything that I didn't know what to do and-"

"Five," I say as I put a hand on his shoulder, "you're forgiven." He nods in appreciation before looking down again.

"Okay," Six finally says in a soft voice. "You can lure him out to us, but _only _if he's the last one alive. We can't lose you before that, Five. Deal?" Five smiles at her with tears fully visible now.

"Deal."

"Alright, so now that that's settled, we need to go over weaponry, armor, attire, attack time, positioning…" Six drones on. Most of her words float in one ear and out the other for I'm too anxious about tomorrow's events. What happens if I don't come back? What would happen to Sarah? To Sam? Even to Six? What happens if someone dies? I mean, obviously Five wants to go either way, but what would I do if Six died? How could I tell Sam that? I couldn't forgive myself if I let anyone die or even get hurt for that matter, but I know both are inevitable.

We go over everything for over an hour until my stomach starts growling. "Six," I whine, "I need food!"

"Yeah, I'm getting a little hungry myself," Marina says.

"A little? I could eat a freaking cow!" Kellan exclaims causing laughter from all of us.

"I agree. Let's take a break for a bit. We only have a little left to go over and we'll be set. We should go out of town though. We need to be as far away from the Mogs as possible. Any suggestions?" Six asks. I smile and scratch my jaw.

"I might know somewhere we can go."

* * *

><p>Three hours and about 185 miles away, the five of us are sitting atop the largest bridge in the city of Frankfurt feasting on a plethora of cheeseburgers, fries, sodas, and milkshakes. What can I say? Lorien teenagers eat <em>a lot<em>. The bridge overlooks a large bay which reflects the city lights and buildings. About twenty cars pass under us per minute, although most don't realize the five kids sitting on top of the bridge.

A soft breeze blows past us causing my hair to flow back like the wind is running its fingers through my hair. A small wrapper floats away and is eventually lost in sight. I take a deep breath and smell not only the scent of our dinner, but the aroma of the night. It seems like the world is giving us one last beautiful night before all hell breaks loose.

"God, the was good," says Kellan as he falls backwards onto the ledge.

"Kind of like the Last Supper, huh?" I ask. It was a question more to myself, but everyone nods regardless.

"Let's just hope there isn't a Judas here with us," Six says before taking a bite of her burger. I take a sip of my drink and gaze at the city buildings. Lights flicker on and off in the distance.

"So what's gonna happen when all of this is over? What are we supposed to do?" I ask. "I can't just leave Sarah."

"I know, John. I'm the same way with Sam. That's why we have to get those Loriens out of there. If we do that safely then we can rebuild Lorien. I don't know if humans can breathe up there, but we can surely find out, says Six. I nod and take another sip of my soda before setting it down.

"Guys, I don't want to be a down, but let's just say if anything goes wrongs tomorrow…" I begin to say.

"John…" Six warns, but I hold my hand up.

"I'm just saying _if_ anything goes wrong. It's inevitable that someone will get hurt, but I just want you guys to know that I'm really glad I finally met you. Despite all the shit we've gone through, I'm glad we did. So here's to having the best, and the worst, time of my life- of _our _lives," I say and hold up my drink. Everyone else raises theirs in sync and we touch cups. I take a sip and notice Six has a line of water down her face. "You okay, Six?"

Six nods with a sniff and manages a smile. "It's just… they'd be proud, you know? Our Cêpans, our parents, and even our planet." I give her a warm smile and wrap my arm around her shoulder.

"I'm sure they are."

We walk through Frankfurt's streets for a while and gaze at the night life, just being kids and enjoying ourselves. Eventually, we wander into a small pub where a local band is playing.

"I'm gonna get us some drinks," Six says with a wink before making her way to the bar. I notice her start twirling her hair and flaunting herself at the bar tender, which of course makes us stifle laughter. Soon enough, Six walks over holding five beer bottles and grinning like a mad man. "And that's how it's done my friends."

"I'm sure Sam would've _loved _that," I say with a wink while grabbing a beer. Did I mention we can't get drunk? It's a downer really, but Henri used to try all the time and never could.

"Oh shut up," Six says and nudges me. I smile and take a sip as I glance around the bar. There's a small crowd watching a blue grass band in the corner, men trying to be smooth with women at the bar, and a hallway where a blue phone hangs. My hearts lurches forward as I do a double-take.

"I'll be right back," I call over my shoulder as I make my way over to the hallway. I glance over the English instructions and push in a few Euros before picking up the phone and dialing the number I know by heart. I walk into the room next door, flip on the lights, and shut the door on the cord for some quiet. _One ring, two rings, three rings, four rings…_

"Hello?" a voice answers. I breathe a sigh of relief and happiness as I hear her beautiful voice.

"Sarah," I breathe.

"John? Is that you?" she asks.

"Yeah, it's me. How are you?" I ask her. There's a couple seconds of silence before she answers.

"I'm okay. Worried about you like usual, but okay." There's a certain uneasiness in her voice that I can't quite put my finger on, but it's probably because her boyfriend is about to go into a full out war.

"Well, you don't need to be worried. We're going in tomorrow so we should be back in two at the most three days," I say.

"Tomorrow?" Sarah immediately replies. Her voice got higher and I know that it's filled with worry.

"Tomorrow," I repeat. "Don't worry, we went over everything probably over fifty times, I know the place by heart, and the armor and weapons we have are the highest rate. Just wait three days and I'll be back."

"And we'll live happily ever after, right?" Sarah teases. It makes me grin from ear to ear.

"Of course."

"Well, good. But what happens after it's done? I mean, what about Lorien? What about rebuilding or repopulating…?" Sarah questions me.

"That's something new we found out. Six told us that there are people inside that are Lorien that the Mogs have kept hostage. So, if we're able to free them then they can go and do that. As for us… we can do whatever the hell we want. You're eighteen now and I can just get a new ID so I guess we'll just see how things play out," I say.

"Okay, John," Sarah says. There's something in her tone that's scaring me a little, but I can't put my finger on it.

"Sarah, I know you're worried, but something about you sounds… off. What's going on?" I ask.

"Nothing, John. My parents are just being idiots about all of this and you're about to go face death itself. Sorry if I'm a little worked up!" Sarah yells. It comes as a shock to me, but I control myself and tell myself that it's only because she thinks this'll be the last time I talk to her.

"Sarah, I don't want to fight. Please just… just… I don't know," I stutter out. "I just don't want to fight, okay? That's the last thing that I want going through my head tomorrow. I just… I _need _you to tell me that you'll be waiting for me when I come home. I need to know that I have something to fight for, okay? Can you please just tell me that?" A few seconds of silence pass before I hear a shaky breath.

"I'll be here, John. I'll be here and I'm never going to leave you. I love you so much," Sarah says.

"I love you too."

"Stay safe tomorrow. If you get hurt I'll fly out there and kick their asses myself," Sarah says. I chuckle into the receiver and grin.

"But I thought you liked my scars? If I remember correctly, you said they were sexy," I challenge her.

"Well, maybe I just wanted you to recover faster," Sarah teases.

"I'm hurt!" I say into the receiver.

"Oh, you're a big boy. I think you'll get over it." I hear a small knock at the door and whisk around to see Six in the window. I motion her in and ask Sarah to hold on a sec.

"What's up?" I ask.

"We need to go. Big day tomorrow. You'll see her in a few days," Six says with a compassionate smile. I nod and pick the phone up again.

"Hey, Six says we gotta go. I'll talk to you tomorrow morning before we head out, okay?" I say.

"Okay. I love you, John," Sarah says.

"Love you too. Bye."

"Bye." I wait until I hear her end the call before hanging up. Tears actually fight to fall, but I refuse to let them. That might've been the last time I'll ever hear her sweet voice again. Tomorrow might be the last time I'll ever speak to her again. Distraught, I lean my head up against the cold brick wall and smack it with my hand. My hands curl into fists as a new wave of energy fills my body. I narrow my eyes and walk simply out the door, hands by my side, and go to the group.

"Let's go," I say.

"You okay?" Six asks with a curious expression on her face.

"I'm just ready. I'm ready for blood and I'm ready to end this once and for all."

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><p>When I wake up, I'm not myself. I'm not Daniel Jones from California who moved to Florida. I'm not the kid who moved from Santa Fe, New Mexico to Paradise, Ohio. I'm not the freak who ran out of class in a full sprint, wore gloves for a week, and hung out with the nerdy alien-obsessed boy. I'm not the guy who decided to go after Sarah Hart, was terrorized by Mark James, and had manure put in my locker.<p>

"Are you almost ready?" Six asks as I pull on my jacket.

"Yeah."

I stare at myself in the mirror and realize who I really am. I'm not the guy who fell in love with Sarah Hart. I'm not even the guy who beat the hell out of nine football players. No, I'm much more than that. The people here with me help me comprehend who I am. I'm the boy from Lorien. I'm the boy who's family and Cêpan was taken from him in an instant. I'm the boy who's been running from people trying to kill him for his whole life. I'm the boy with unimaginable strength, speed, and capabilities. I'm the boy who can move things with his mind, talk to animals, and shoot lights from his hands. I'm the boy out to avenge those who have fallen. I'm the boy out for blood. I'm the boy who's going to end everything today.

I am Number Four.


	28. And So The Battle Begins

**Woo! Only two chapters left! This is getting suspenseful isn't it? ;) Anyhow, sorry for the wait, but I just wasn't in the writing mood for a little and I didn't want the story to turn out crappy! Thank you for your reviews as always! OH! Check out my one-shot about when John gets back in **_**The Power of Six **_**cause it's in Sarah's POV(: Thanks!**

**joro3: Yeah, I hated him too, but I didn't wanna hate any of the Numbers(: And thank you! When I was writing the last little bit about John realizing who he was, I was listening to No Church In The Wild by Jay-Z and Kanye West so I was just in an intense state ;) You'll have to wait and see what happens in the end though… ;) Thanks for your review on my one-shot too!(:**

**aBrokenJar: Yeah, Five makes me sad:/ And you'll just have to wait and see ;) But thank you so much! Also, thanks for your comment on my one-shot(:**

**WonderMelon: Haha as I said to joro3, I was jamming to No Church In The Wild! Five is a sad character... And I feel like the Numbers drunk would be highly entertaining. But here you go(:**

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><p>"Are you ready?" I whisper to Kellan. He nods and pulls a piece of grass out of the ground. I'm about to question him, but it slowly morphs into a gun with a silencer on the end. "That's <em>so<em> bad-ass." Kellan grins and tucks it away in his waistband, but his face turns serious again. Crouched behind the same rock that was the Mogadorians' blind spot as before, Six pulls her sleeve up to reveal a watch. She presses a button and a map complete with video footage of the security room projects onto the rock.

"We're a technologically advanced planet. Anyhow, here's the live feed. There are three Mogs inside and one outside the door. All of them are scouts so you should be okay. Are you sure you don't want help?" Six asks.

"I'm sure," Kellan says.

"Alright, let's do this," Six says. Kellan nods, but first turns towards Marina.

"Just so you know… I think I'm in love with you," Kellan says to her before kissing her quickly, but passionately on the lips. Then he stands and pops away with the sound of a gust of wind.

"Well… that was… smooth," I whisper as Marina blushes bright red.

"Shut up!" Six hisses at me. Our focus is glued to the screen as we watch Kellan shoot and kill all three Mogs inside within five seconds. Then Kellan, being Kellan, creeps up behind the door and knocks. There's a swivel of a head outside and his eyes go wide as he sees the empty room. The Mog barges in, but Kellan trips him and shoots a bullet in the back of his head before shutting the door, locking it, and covering the window. He signals an "okay" sign to our hidden camera and goes to work on hooking up the fake video footage. "You doing okay in there?" Six asks Kellan into her headset.

"I'm doing just fine. Almost finished. Just let me switch these two plugs and… we're good!" Kellan says. Then, he flashes from the screen and pops up beside me. "Miss me?" I grin and nudge him to the side where Marina takes hold of his face and kisses him deeply.

"Hey! Break it up you two!" I hiss. "We're on a mission! Make out when the world is saved." I wink at the two beet red faces and turn to Six. "Your time to shine, Six." Six nods and pulls a grenade about two times the size of a regular one. She grabs hold of the handle and squeezes while she rips the pin out with her teeth. Then, she cocks her arm back and launches it so quick and so far that I don't even see it in the air. Ten seconds pass before we literally feel the ground shake. We all stay very still and very low hoping no one comes our way. Luckily, no one does.

"Nice throwing arm, Six," I say with a wink. She grins and pulls up the video feeds, projecting them on to the rock behind us. The whole roof and outside guard posts have been evacuated and only two guards remain at the door. Meanwhile, on the inside, we see Setrákus Ra's door open. Six wasn't kidding; the Mog is _literally _twenty feet tall. "Damn," I whisper. His face is scrunched up in anger demanding to know what's going on. The six soldiers outside don't seem to know anything though. Furious, he swiftly strides down the stairs as the soldiers sprint to keep up with him. We watch as he exits the building and confronts the guards. He yells at them in Mogadorian tongue, so it's useless to us.

"What's our move?" Five pipes up. I scan the cameras and see that almost all of the Mogs have drifted down to the first floor.

"Now's our chance. If we can get all the Loriens out safely, then the adults and teenagers can steal some of the weapons and fight. Kellan can teleport transportation up to the roof and get the children and elderly out safely. We can also barricade the stairs to buy us some time. Does that work?" I ramble. Six gives me a blank and surprised expression before opening her mouth.

"That's actually a hell of a plan, John. Kellan, get us in there. Then, I need you to find some transportation somewhere. Anywhere that you can remember. Then get them somewhere safe. Got it?" Six asks. "We need to move. _Now_." Kellan grabs Six and I, takes a deep breath, and my feet leave the ground. In less than a second, I find myself in a white hallway where two scouts look at us with shocked expressions.

"Go!" I yell at Kellan before ripping a pistol out of my waistband and aiming it at the Mog. He leans out of the way, however it nicks his shoulder. He runs at me growling with a rather large gun raised. I sprint at him as well and right as he's about to shoot, I kick the gun upwards and slide beside him as I plunge my knife into his stomach. Six has just finished off the other one when two doors by the stairs leading to the fourth floor bust open.

Six Mogs run out with their guns raised, but one quickly turns into ash as Six shoots him straight in the head. I grab the fallen gun of the Mog who I had killed and shoot it at the one closest to the front. A jet of red light shoots out and hits him square in the chest causing him to fall onto the one behind him before disintegrating. I sprint head on at the one on my right and raise my knife ready to strike, but another sends his fist at my face. I duck in the nick of time however, and slide by both of them. I rise and hurtle my knife at the Mog on my left striking him directly in the neck while my left hand pulls the trigger on my gun. Then, there's silence except for Six's and my heavy breaths.

"I think that's it," Six says. I nod. I look down the hall and shut my eyes trying to concentrate. Every single metal door jiggles and is ripped off its hinges. I stack them each against the entrance to the third floor trying to buy us some time.

"Upstairs," I say. Both of us take off upstairs with our guns raised. I run up the first flight and rest with my back to the wall. Slowly, I peer around the corner and the sight makes me want to vomit. Two soldiers are standing in a corridor of cells filled with over six hundred Loriens and Chæmera crammed into six separate cells. Pure malignancy and rage flood my body as I see the two Mogs beating an old man for information on the attack.

"John…" Six warns, but I don't listen. I only whip my gun out and shoot it twice. One hits the Mog dead-on, but the other shot misses. I raise it to shoot again, but the Mog holds the old man up with a knife pressed against his neck.

"Think wisely, Number Four," he growls. I clutch my gun harshly ready to fire, but the Mog only presses the knife against his neck harder. He sneers at me with a smirk as the old man struggles against him.

"Let him go," I snarl. The Mogardorian lets out a long slow laugh.

"And why would I? If you shoot me, I slice his neck. Make a decision," he says. He grins at me once more, but it soon disappears. He grunts and releases the knife before falling to his knees and disappearing. Six is standing besides the old man with a knife in her hand and a satisfied smile on her face. She helps the elderly man up to his feet and to a wall where he can sit.

"Everyone get against the walls of your cells and protect your heads!" I yell. There's shuffling all around as people turn and press back as far as they can go. Six and I run down the hall shooting each lock until each cell is busted open. There's a mass flood of people as loved ones greet each other with smiles, hugs, and kisses. But there's no time for that now.

"Hey!" I bellow. It becomes silent as I continue. "If you can fight, head to the third floor and grab yourself a weapon! If you can't, head upstairs where a boy will have transportation waiting for you! He'll get you somewhere safe! We don't have much time and I can't explain everything, but we need _every _possible body to help us fight. Please, we don't have much time." There's movement to each end of the hallway as people run back and forth. I catch sight of Bernie Kosar with the other Chæmera and send a signal to him.

"_Tell them to help us fight," _I think.

"_Okay. I tell them to help fight. They will," _I hear back. I nod at my now half-rhino, half-dinosaur Chæmera and take off towards the third floor with Six alongside me.

"Where the hell are Five and Marina?" I ask. We run down the stairs and see about half of the people that were upstairs now are equipped with a gun as well as some still coming to get weapons. Six and I exchange smiles, but they soon vanish as we hear pounding on the barricade I set up. "Get ready!" I yell. Six and I find our way to the front of the group and we crouch ready for the attack. _Three… two… one… _

The doors bust open and all hell breaks loose. Jets of red are flying everywhere as Mogs flood up the stairs. We have the advantage however, because they're all stuck in the stairway as we push forward. Six and I slice through our enemies, killing and injuring many to be finished off in the process, and we make our way downstairs. A pack of ten people are trailing us while the rest keep flowing down. We halt at the sight of our two friends fighting off over ten different Mogs at the door.

"It's about damn time you showed up!" Five yells as he hurls his fist into the face of a scout who flies into a wall upon impact. Soon, however, they're all gone as several guns fire eliminating them.

"Sorry, we were busy finding some soldiers," I say and pat his shoulder. He grins at me as well as Marina who's clutching her shoulder. Suddenly, there's a giant boom and the floor shakes. Six immediately checks the cameras on her projective watch as I brace myself for anything.

"John… Five… Marina… come look at this," Six says in a frightened tone. I loom over her shoulder and look at the screen only to see my worst nightmare. On the floor below us, there are Mogadorians literally _pouring _out of each room. Some stand in formation looking at the stairs while some stand looking at the main entrance.

"Holy shit," I breathe. There has to be over five hundred on that floor alone!

"Jesus Christ… they've been _growing _them in those rooms! Look at all the broken pods inside the rooms!" Six exclaims. To my horror, there are indeed large tubes and broken green cases where these new Mogadorians seem to have… hatched.

"You guys up for it?" I ask wearily. Everyone nods, but I know they're all scared out of their minds considering I know I am.

"Alright, listen up!" I yell above the clatter. "There are over five hundred Mogadorians below us! If you cannot fight, then please go to the roof! If you're useless to us then we don't want any unnecessary lives spent, okay?" There's silence and no movement whatsoever. Every single face has a clenched jaw and fierce eyes. One man in his forties or fifties steps forward and puts a hand on my shoulder.

"We've been rotting in those cells for over thirteen years. There's no way in _hell _that we're leaving you guys. You saved our lives, now we're just returning the favor. You're Brandon's Number, no?" he says in a familiar tone.

"Yeah, I'm Four. Who are you?" I question. As soon as he gives me that lopsided smile that I'd recognize anywhere, my jaw drops.

"Malcom Goode at your service," he says and holds out a hand. I shake it firmly and smile in disbelief.

"Sam's my best friend. He's really proud of what you did for us," I say. He smiles with the hint of a tear in his eye as he speaks.

"I can't believe he finally figured it out. I left him so many clues… but enough of that. What's the plan?" he asks.

"Listen up! When I tell you to fire, you just let everything out. They'll be flooding the staircases and floor, but the good news is they're stuck in a tight space. That makes it a lot easier to kill them. Everyone got it?" I ask the crowd. I see heads bobbing and notice just how many we have. There are two hundred Loriens and Chæmera at the _most_ ready and able to fight. I swallow the small the lump that has formed in my throat. "Okay then. Brace yourselves."

There is nothing, but silence for a few moments before we start to hear the footsteps on the stairs. With every breath I take they get louder and heavier; with every breath I take I clutch my gun harder and harder; with every breath I take I think of every happy moment in my life to help fuel me to save these people's lives. Soon, the footsteps stop and I know that they're right at the barricade that Five and Marina had set up.

"Get ready," Six says. I narrow my eyes and wait for the explosion, but I'm not prepared when it comes from my right. A massive blast shoots out ubiquitously on my right and my ear rings from the sound. All I feel is the rush of wind and impact of loose debris as I fly through the wall on my left. I seem to suspend there for a moment and almost in slow motion look to see everyone else falling towards me. Without hesitation, I expand my mind and catch them in the air. I try to lower them as quickly as possible, but I lose all control as soon as my back hits the ground.

I feel my left shoulder crack instantly as well as my wrist. I grunt with pain and shut my eyes just wanting this madness to be over. But what the hell just happened? Was it a bomb? More important, is everyone okay?

"John! John!" I hear Six frantically yelling. I moan in pain to get her attention and soon, I feel her presence over me. "John, are you okay? You can't be hurt, John. You need to get up. Was that you that saved everyone?" Six asks. I nod and grimace due to my discomfort as Six looks at me with scared eyes, eyes I've never seen before. "Marina! Get over here! I'll hold everyone off!" Six leaves me and as I try to yell at her to stay, another body looms over me.

"John, it's me, Marina. Please lie still and tell me what hurts," she says in a panicked tone. I hear gun shots and screams around me, but I answer her simply.

"Left shoulder and wrist." I feel warm hands over my arm and a strange cold feeling wraps around my wrist. However, it instantly feels better as soon as the feeling fades away.

"This may hurt," she says as she slides her hands under my shoulder. I curse more to myself than at her, but soon the same icy effect envelopes my shoulder and the pain is gone. I feel her hand yank mine up and I grab her shoulder for support. As soon as my eyes focus, I notice the war-like world around me. There are bodies of Loriens and Mogadorians alike all scattered over the forest floor, blood puddling in certain areas, and red jets of light in every direction.

"John, hurry your ass up! I'm dying over here!" Six screams at me while she's in the midst of being cornered my three scouts. With my new energy, I sprint forward with my knife in my hand and plunge it straight into the back of one before he could ever turn around. I twist and pull it out soon enough to kick another in the side sending him crumpling to the ground. Not wanting him to retaliate, I straddle his stomach and slit his throat causing the blood, black as night, to seep out before he turns to ash.

I whip my head up and see another come running at me, but I quickly pull my gun out and send a blast of red light into his face. I feel a slight cut at my side, but as soon as I turn to look, I see that Five is lunged beside me and staring straight at a soldier flying through the air.

"Thanks, Five," I say with a grin. He turns and smirks before taking off to find another Mogadorian. I turn my head only to scarcely dodge the red light that had flown right by my head. I glance forward and see the Mogadorian who sent the jet of light my way. A glimmer on his chest causes my eyes to dart in that direction only to find the one thing that could make me even angrier than I already am. It's Henri's necklace hanging off of his neck like a prize. The Mog knashes his small shark-like teeth and smiles wickedly.

I sprint forward at him, jumping over bodies and logs in the process, with my gun raised. He reloads his gun and sends another shot at me, but I jump up and twist my body in the air so that it nearly misses my back. As soon as I land on my feet, true fear strikes his face. I run full speed at him and rip my knife out wanting the satisfaction of feeling his life force drain away. The Mog stumbles backwards trying to flee, but he trips over a body in the process. When I'm within inches of him, I slam my knee into his arm and pin his legs down with my telekinesis.

"This is for Henri," I whisper before plunging the knife straight into his black heart. Black blood pumps from his chest on impact and his eyes roll backwards into his head. I rip the necklace off of his neck and put in my pocket. I stand, satisfied with my vengeance, as the ash floats over my shoe. Suddenly, a wild force knocks me over and my head slams against a rock. My world goes black for a fraction of a second before the color comes back. Everything turns from colors to a blur, then from a blur to picture. There's a soldier standing over me with a psychotic look on his face.

"That was my brother you piece of filth!" he roars. I spit at him and stare daggers into his eyes before looking away.

"Look who's talking," I sputter before spitting some blood out of my mouth. The soldier yells in rage before raising his sword to attack, but a red flash from behind stops him. For a second he stands sturdy with a blank expression before puffing into ash. However, standing behind the remnants of the dust dressed in full black with a gun raised and grin plastered across their face, is the _last _person I expected to see.

**Hope you enjoyed it(: Only two more chapters left, guys! Hope that this chapter was intense enough for you! I guarantee that the next one will be(: REVIEW! And again, check out my one-shot about's John's return from Sarah's POV in **_**The Power of Six**_**!**


	29. The Final Fight

**AHHHH! Guys… only one more chapter after this! It's crazy! Well, I'm sick today so I thought that I'd try to get some writing done(: Hopefully I can finish! I'd just like to thank each and every one of you who has reviewed and read my story! It means so much to me! You guys are amazing and I love you! Again, please check out my one-shot(:**

**WonderMelon: I try ;) And calm down about Ella and just read the damn chapter ;) Yeah, there's a lot(: And no, not all Loriens are, but John needed help so the ones in good shape helped him! Haha yeah, Six is quite the bad-ass… but so are the other Numbers(: And technically… it did… just keep reading(:**

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><p>"What the <em>hell <em>are you doing here?" I yell. I push myself up off the ground and grab the person's arm who just saved my life. I walk briskly into the forest, dragging the person along in the process, and crouch down behind a tree. "Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

"If it wasn't for me, _you'd_ be the one dead now wouldn't you?"

"I would've been fine! What were you thinking? Do you not see that we're outnumbered? Are you insane?"

"I was _thinking _that you could use some extra help." Before I can respond, I hear a whistle and, appearing from behind thick bushes, I see the face of my best friend as well as a large group of others. "Don't be so stubborn, John."

"Sarah, where'd you find all these people? Who are they?" I question her. She grins as Sam pops up next to me.

"Hey buddy. We thought you could use some extra troops," he says happily. I shake my head and grab both of Sarah's arms.

"Who are they and where did you find them?" I ask her.

"We stumbled upon a set of stairs leading into the ground when we were tracking you guys down. It just so happens that the Mogs kept an underground cave filled with more Loriens. Sam managed to knick a gun from a Mog we beat up and there were only a few of them down there so it was pretty easy to get some warriors out. Especially… Number Ten," Sarah says. I pull back and look at her with a crazed expression.

"What do you mean, Number Ten? There were only nine of us, remember?"

"Not quite," a deep voice says. A man in his early forties walks up to me and extends his hand. He has black hair with strands of grey slicked back and piercing green eyes. I take his hand in my own and shake it. He has a firm handshake and pulls me to my feet. "My name is Crayton. This is Ella." A girl around the age of eight appears from behind him and reaches her hand out as well. Uneasy, I shake it and raise my eyebrow.

"Why am I shaking hands with an eight year old girl in the middle of battle?" I ask. Ella grins and Crayton chuckles.

"Because she's Number Ten. And she's _not _eight years old," he says. Before I can muster a response, Ella begins to grow into a girl about my height and age. My mouth drops open as the eight year old transforms into a roughly eighteen year old.

"She can change her age?" I ask. Ella nods and smiles.

"There's no time to explain why you guys never knew about me right now. What's the plan?" she asks. It takes me a moment to focus and come back into the war that we're fighting in. I press my earpiece into my ear so I can hear better and speak into the microphone.

"Kellan? Are you still on the roof?" I ask.

"_No, everyone's unloading in this field on the outskirts of the forest right now. Why?" _I hear him respond.

"We have more people. Get everyone out as quickly as possible and get back on to the roof," I command.

"_I'll be up there in a few." _

"Okay, Ella, you're with me. If anyone is unable to fight you're going to make your way to the roof with Crayton! Everyone who can fight, you're going to have to, alright? There are guns on the third floor, but I'm not sure how many Mogs are in there. Alright, let's go!" I command. Crayton leads all the kids and elderly past me whereas the others run out towards the building. Only then do I realize just how many more Loriens they had. I grin to myself thinking that we may have a chance. Sarah and Sam start to walk, but I hold my arm out.

"Woah, you guys aren't going anywhere! Stay hidden until this is all over and I'll come get you," I say.

"No!" Sam yells. "Can't you see that we can do this? The Loriens don't know anything about shooting a gun and we've had practice, yet you're going to send them into battle? Bullshit, John!"

"It's too dangerous!" I yell.

"We don't care, John! We're not just going to sit by doing nothing instead of helping. It's not your decision anymore," Sarah says. I feel a hand on my shoulder and look around to see Ella behind me.

"John, I saw what they did in the caves we were in. Trust me, they can do this," she says. I shut my eyes trying to figure something out, something that will make them stay, but I know it's no use. I know that even if I leave them here that they'll go anyhow. I slam my fist into the ground and open my eyes.

"You're so lucky Six isn't here, Sam Goode. She would kick your ass if she knew you were here. Go. But do _not _get yourself killed, do you hear me?" I command him as I pull his shirt towards me. He grins and salutes me before taking off. Sarah gets up to leave, but I grab her arm. "Sarah… you're _so_ stupid for coming. Why did you have to come?" I ask her with pleading eyes. She gives me a half smile and caresses my cheek.

"Because I'm just a stupid teenage girl in love with an alien," she says.

"You're staying with me, okay? I'm not letting you out of my sight," I say.

"I wouldn't have it any other way." Before I can reply, I hear a shrill scream above everything.

"John!" it yells. A shiver travels up my spine as I rise to my feet. _Six._

"Come on!" I yell and grab Sarah's hand. We run out of the woods and I just run. I don't know where, but I run to where I feel I have to go. I reflect gun shots away from me with my telekinesis and throw Mogs into trees as I make my way around the building. There are more bodies on the ground then there are standing. Of course, there are no Mogadorians on the ground due to the fact that they disintegrate, but there is a lot of black and red blood covering the grass.

As I round the corner, my heart stops at the sight of Six crumpled to the ground surrounded by four Mogs. One has a knife raised, ready to strike, but I strike first. With a flick of my hand I send the knife flying out of his hands. I pull a pistol from my waistband and release Sarah's hand as I run straight at them. I pull the trigger quickly and one soldier disappears, but three still stand strong. I fly at the one closest to Six and strike with my dagger, but he dodges it.

I quickly regain my stance and square off with the monster. Out of the corner of my eye I see Ella and Sarah fighting off the other two, the sight making my stomach churn, but I know I have to save Six. The Mog snarls at me and lunges, but I step aside and let him over run past me. While he's turned, I raise my pistol and pull on the trigger, sending a flash of blue light into the back of his head. I then turn quickly to see how Sarah and Ella are doing.

Ella seems to be just as experienced as the rest of us. She moves quickly and fluently striking the soldier in all of the right places. Sarah doesn't look too bad herself either. Her soldier has various cuts as well as wounds on him from where she has hit him and as I'm about to come help, she strikes him in the heart and he disintegrates. Ella has just taken care of her Mog too, so I rush over and kneel next to Six.

"Six, oh god, what happened?" I ask her as I lift her head up with my hand. She coughs out blood and groans. I look down at her side and see that it's covered in blood. Oh God no, no Six…

"John, take this. We snatched it from your penthouse at the hotel. You left your Chest open," Sarah says as she hands me the Healing Stone. I take it in my hand and look at Six in an apologetic manner. I take her hand in mine, squeeze it, and press the stone to her side. She sucks in a breath and squeezes her eyes shut just as her body starts to tremble. However, the trembling ends in a minute or so and Six opens her eyes.

"Damn, that hurt," she mutters. She looks at me and nods in appreciation, but when she looks up and sees Sarah, her smiles fades. "Tell me that he's not here."

"They're both here. They brought more Loriens from an underground cave. Six, there's no time to explain, but this is Ella, Number Ten." Six's mouth drops open upon seeing Ella and looks at me for an explanation, but I shrug. "There's no time. Where's Setrákus Ra?" I ask. Six shakes her head trying to snap back into it and presses her watch. Video footage appears on the wall showing the Mogadorian leader outside the gates of the main building. He's surrounded by various guards and has a furious expression on his face.

"We need to strike soon. Get all the Numbers over here, now," Six says. I nod and press my earpiece in.

"Everyone, get to the north side of the building immediately," I say. There are no responses, so all we can do is wait. I turn to Sarah and pull her aside.

"Don't even try to tell me to go and hide, John. It's not happening," she says firmly. I sigh and grip her shoulders.

"Listen to me, okay? You _cannot _try to help us beat Setrákus Ra. Only the members of the Garde can defeat him and it's because of our Legacies. I guarantee you that if you try to help us, you _will _die. I'm not saying don't fight because I know you won't listen, but you can't go up against him and live. Go find Sam and you two stay alive, damn it. You have to stay alive, okay?" Sarah nods and gently presses her palm against the back of my neck.

"Okay, John. You don't die either, alright?" I nod and pull her into a hug. I take a deep breath and smell her hair one last time. I kiss her head and rub her back once more. I kiss her lips once again. It's the worst feeling I've ever had go through my body. I take her face in my hands and kiss her again, not wanting to ever let go. However, I know it's time and I pull away.

"Go," I say softly. Sarah lingers for a moment, but then takes off into a full sprint around the building. I clench my fists and close my eyes trying to concentrate. I just let all of my anger bubble up and rise inside of me. When I turn around, I see that everyone is here and all eyes are on me. Five has a line of blood running down the side of his face, Six's side is all bloody from her wound, Marina's shoulder is swollen and splattered with blood, and Kellan's shirt has been ripped down the middle where three red lines cut diagonally across his chest.

"It was a Kraul. There are Pikens too," he says, answering my silent question. I nod and look at them. For once, everyone looks at me for a plan instead of Six. For once, I feel like I'm the leader. And for once, I feel like I'm leading them into a certain death.

"Okay, Setrákus Ra is at the entrance surrounded by six highly skilled soldiers. There are six of us and seven of the most powerful Mogadorians out there. We have to find some way to get Setrákus Ra alone with all of us alive. Honestly, I don't know what we're supposed to do and if we're going to survive. The only thing that I know is that we're the only force that can kill him and if we die, there is no hope for this planet to survive." Everyone looks at me with the same expression: determination.

"He's not going to win. They're not going to win, god damn it!" Kellan roars. Marina puts a hand on his shoulder to calm him, but his chest still heaves up and down and his eyes are stilled filled with fury.

"John… I think I know how we can do this," Five says.

"I'm listening."

* * *

><p>After thoroughly discussing our plan and approving, despite numerous objections, we finally put it into action. I glance down at the bushes where Five is crouching waiting for the moment to strike. I swallow a lump in the back of my throat and re-grip the gun that has become sweaty in my hands. I line up my gun with the head of the Mogadorian on the far left and press my finger lightly to the trigger.<p>

"Ready," I say to the other four as well as into my microphone for Five to hear. "Aim…" I take one last gulp of air before saying the last word.

"Fire!" Five red bolts of light shoot from the roof and one gunshot comes from the bushes. We waste no time launching ourselves from the roof over the gap of land where fighting is still taking place, to the branches of the trees on the forest edge. Crashing through them and being scraped numerous times, I manage to skim down the tree and land on my feet with my gun raised. Then, from behind the bushes, I wait for the moment I've been dreading.

Five steps forward out of the trees to draw the now furious and malicious Setrákus Ra's attention.

"Come and get me, you bastard!" he screams with his gun raised. The Mogadorian leader smiles wickedly before raising his hand. Five then begins shooting everything he has, but the attempt is futile. Every shot seems to bounce away just before it touches him without the monster even having to try. Soon enough, the gun runs out of ammo and Five tosses it uselessly to the side. "That all you've got? Come on!" he taunts.

"You insignificant brainless piece of garbage. You think that you can beat _me_? We've already killed so many of your people so why do want anymore to die? Just give up, now!" Setrákus Ra snarls.

"No! That's what you don't understand! You think that just because you're bigger and stronger that you can win this, but it's not true! We have something to fight for! It's in my blood not to give up; it's in _our _blood. So don't _ever _think that you will ever be above any of us when you know that you're just a low-life piece of trash trying to overrun a race that will _never _be destroyed." Five stands firm with a clenched jaw waiting for what he knows is inevitable.

"You're a fool, Number Five," the leader says although, clearly, Five's words have gotten to him.

"That may be true, but at least I'm not a twenty-foot pile of shit whose neck looks like it went through a blender."

Setrákus Ra screams with rage before delivering the final blow. A huge jet of red spews from his hands into Number Five who closes his eyes and accepts it like a gift. For him, maybe it is a gift. A gift of happiness, but mostly the gift of love.

"Now!" I yell. Before the leader of the Mogadorians can even turn around, he's pinned up against the wall of his own base. The five of us walk out steadily; sweat already forming on our foreheads, as we hold him firm against the wall. His arms claw in front of him to trying to break free or even shoot at us, but it's not use. Every step closer we get, the more he is unable to move. Soon, we're ten feet away and the monster is still as a stone.

Without breaking my concentration, I reach into my waistband and grab my sword. I start walking closer to him and I let every bad memory build up inside of me. I let my dreams of Lorien pass through my head, I see my parent's faces, I see my people running and screaming for their lives, I see Henri's smiling face as well as him bloodied and bruised, but finally, I see the worst part of everything: the bodies and faces of Five, Six, Marina, Kellan, Sam, and mostly Sarah. I see that they're eyes are closed, their faces are pale, and their life force is gone.

"This is for every single person that you've ever harmed," I state with anger shaking my body. I jump up with a yell and slam the sword into his huge, cold, black heart. I twist it fiercely and thrust the blade further in. "And this is for all of those who died trying to protect my planet." I stay there, levitated in the air, as I watch the black blood seep out of his wound. Black liquid gargles and drips from his mouth as he eyes grow grey. However, a red glow starts to form where the blade is stuck in his chest and starts growing brighter. Before I can even move, a blast shoots me off of his body and into the ground. The last thing I remember is a red blast coming straight towards me before my world turns black.

* * *

><p>"John? John! John, wake up! Please, don't do this! John!" I hear. At first it was a vague sound, but now I can hear my name clearly. I can barely move my body and everything underneath me feels hard. I grumble something and slowly crack my eyes open. At first, all I can see is white, but when my eyes start to focus, I see the most beautiful thing in the universe.<p>

"Sarah."

"John!" Sarah yells and buries her face into my now bare chest. I wrap my arms around her as best as I can and pull her close. I press my face into her hair and close my eyes trying to get a hold of myself. I kiss her everywhere I can. I kiss her hair, her forehead, her cheeks, her neck, her lips… oh how I've missed the taste of her lips on mine. At last, I gently urge her face up so I can look at her.

"I thought I was never going to see you again," I whisper. She smiles and moves my hair back.

"You promised me you'd come back," Sarah says softly. "And you said you'd never lie to me." I grin at her words and pull her face to mine again.

"Can you help me up?" I ask. She nods and backs off of me before pushing herself up and offering me a hand. I take it graciously and use my other hand to push off the ground. As soon as I stand, I pull her into a hug again and kiss her head. When I release her, I take a look around. For starters, most of my pants and all of my shirt has burned off and I'm covered head to toe in ashes and mud. The damage around me is far worse.

All of the trees within a mile radius of the explosion are burnt away and there seems to be nothing except an open field of dirt and pile of rubble around us. Noticing that all the Mogadorians were gone, I turn to her with questioning eyes.

"Crayton saw what was happening and ushered all of us into their underground caves. It seemed like he knew what was going to happen before it even did. The Mogadorians seemed to freeze in place as soon as you got Setrákus Ra against the wall. There are still a good two hundred Loriens left, not to mention the children and elderly that were saved. You guys did it, John. It's over." I smile and pull her close to me. But, then it dawns on me. What happened to the others?

"Where are the others?" I ask in a panicked tone. Sarah takes my hand and puts her other hand on my shoulder.

"They're over here. Come on," Sarah says as she leads me towards the pile of stones and metal. We walk around the edge of it and soon I find everyone safe and sound.

"John!" I hear. I see Six running at me for a moment, but then her arms are wrapped around my neck and I feel tears on my shoulder. I hug her tightly and lift her off the ground. "Don't ever scare me like that again, John Smith."

"I won't. It's okay, Six. I'm here," I say soothingly. Soon she loosens her grip and lets go of me. She wipes her eyes with the back of her hand and sniffs. I see Sam come up beside her and put a comforting hand on her shoulder with a smile, but as soon as he looks up, I pull him into a hug too.

"You scared the hell out of me. I'll kick your ass if you do that again," Sam says. I laugh and pat his back before releasing him.

"I'd like to see you try."

I give hugs to Marina, Kellan, and even Crayton and Ella, before turning and looking at the battle scene. I take in all that happened and I feel a small hand make its way into mine. I intertwine my fingers in Sarah's preparing to kiss her again, but something catches my eye. I see a glimmer of silver near the rubble and cock my head to the side.

"Come on," I say and lead Sarah over to the shining spot. As soon as I near it, I realize that it's a necklace. I immediately feel my own pocket to make sure Henri's necklace is still there and am relieved when I feel a lump. I bend down and pick it up, but what I see shocks me.

On a simple silver chain there are nine silver circles. Five are filled up. The first three and the eighth circle all have the pendant of each fallen member of the Garde hooked onto it. Knowing that Setrákus Ra couldn't have gotten Five's, I pick up the chain and turn around. I walk around the spot I last saw Five for a little bit before finding his own necklace. I pick that up too and put it in my other pocket.

"Do you want yours back? I'm still wearing it," Sarah says. I smile at her and shake my head.

"No. I want to wear Henri's," I say. "Will you put it on me?" Sarah nods and I hand her his necklace. I feel the cool metal wrap around my neck and hang like an old friend. It had been weird not having my own necklace on, but I want Sarah to keep it.

"So what now?" Sarah asks. I smile and turn to her before kissing her softly on the lips. I let my arms hang interlocked right on her waist and press my forehead up against hers. I feel her hands wrap themselves around me neck as we exchange smiles.

"Now, we go home."

**I hope you enjoyed it! Thank you all so much for reading my story! It really means a lot to me! You guys are amazing!**


	30. A Promise To Be Kept Forever

**Thank you so much for your reviews and everything! You guys are amazing people! All of your reviews and everything have made me feel so grateful and I honestly can't thank you enough! Although the story is ending, I promise that I'll put out more stories. Not necessarily Lorien Legacy ones, but I definitely will at least do one more(: Maybe after **_**The Rise of Nine **_**comes out?**

**The Maximum Ride: YES! Goal is going good ;) I'm taking my time, I swear! But I've been sick so I'm just sort of doing nothing, but writing all day:P Sorry that I can't continue, but I think the story is done:P Thank you so much though! I really wanted the end to be a group effort, but John's the man so he **_**truly **_**ended it I guess. Five did a lot too and it made me sad to kill him off, but he's happier now(: Thanks again though!**

**aBrokenJar: Thank you(: Hahahahaha oh yeah so I totally didn't added BK in any of the other chapters, but I was like what the hell and just threw him in there ;) I really don't enjoy writing about weak, fragile, girly-girls (opposite of me completely…) so I needed Sarah to be a bad ass ;) I've been sick so that's how I wrote two quick chapters:P But, no I think it's done:( Sorry! **

**joro3: I love intense battle scenes… they're just too fun to write! Haha when I finished the chapter, I literally smiled to myself hehehe(: And yeah I thought it was time that Sarah and Sam went bad ass(: **

* * *

><p>"Don't be such a baby."<p>

"A baby? I'm the one who just got blown up by a giant Mogadorian! How am _I_ being a baby?"

"You're whining."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Oh, leave me alone," I grumble as I swat the cotton ball out of Sarah's hand. She puts her hands on her hips and shakes her head at me.

"Nope. You need to get these cleaned out or they'll get infected," Sarah says persistently. I groan and make a sulking face as I let her hold my face and apply hydrogen monoxide on the cuts on my face and head. The clear liquid bubbles up and stings my open wounds as it makes contact. Sure, it's nothing compared to being blasted by a Mogadorian's gun or being sliced in the shoulder, but it still stings! I grumble a few incoherent curse words at Sarah who simply rolls her eyes and gets out another cotton ball.

"What happened to kissing it and making it all better?" I complain. Sarah shakes her head at me and flicks me on the forehead.

"Stop complaining and suck it up!" she commands.

"But there has to be over a hundred stupid little cuts on me!" I try to explain.

"I guess we'll be here for a while then, won't we?" I groan and lean back against the tile wall of the bathroom.

"Why can't I just take a shower instead? Won't I be cleaning myself?" I ask. Sarah purses her lips and throws a cotton ball at my forehead. I grin taking that as a sign of surrender as she gets up from the ledge of the bath tub.

"Fine. But don't come complaining when your cuts get infected!" Sarah says as she walks out the bathroom door.

"Sarah!" I yell in a drawn out manner. She pops her head back in the doorway with an annoyed expression and raises an eye brow waiting for me to ask her a question. "Can you shower with me? You know, make sure I clean all the cuts out?" I ask with a grin.

"Nope!" she yells as she goes back into our room.

"Why not?" I call back.

"Because I hate whining!" Sarah yells from our room. I chuckle to myself and turn on the shower to warm up. I quietly slip behind the door and peer around to see Sarah crouched down pulling out and putting in items into her bag. Silently, I creep up behind her and wait for the perfect moment. After a minute or so of holding my breath and standing completely still, she stands and wipes her hands on her pants. I take that opportunity to lock my arms around her waist and lift her off the ground.

"John!" Sarah yells. "Put me down!"

"I'm sorry, but I don't like whining," I reply in a matter-of-fact tone. She groans and tries to pry my arms away, but it's no use.

"I'm going to kill you," Sarah mutters as I pull her into the bathroom. I lock the door behind me as I shut it and put her down, but I block the door so she can't escape.

"I'll let you get undressed if you'd like," I say and give her a grin. She shakes her head and tries to push me out of the way.

"John, let me out! I told you that I refuse to shower with you!" Sarah yells trying to keep a straight face. I smirk at her trying to get a reaction, but Sarah manages to keep her expression neutral. However, I start to widen my smile every time she glances over at me until I can't stretch my mouth any further. Sarah bursts out laughing and starts hitting my chest.

"You're so creepy! God, you made me lose my intimidating look!" Sarah says while calming her laugh down. I raise my eyes brows and snicker.

"Intimidating? That's the farthest thing away from intimidating I've ever seen!" I exclaim. "Now are you going to get undressed or not?"

"I told you, I'm not showering with you!"

"Suit yourself then." In the blink of an eye, I pull away from the door and flip Sarah over my shoulder. Sarah loses it and laughs crazily while pounding on my back. I step over the bath tub ledge and immediately turn so Sarah's head is directly in line with the stream of water.

"I hate you. So much," Sarah says in a monotone voice as the water pours over her head. I laugh and put her down where she then begins to punch my chest.

"Ow! Easy! I just wanted someone here to make sure I didn't slip and hurt myself," I say casually, but Sarah snorts and shoves my arm.

"You're a butthead. I was going to wear this shirt tomorrow," Sarah mutters.

"I'll dry it for you."

"You better."

"…So are you just gonna stand there?"

"What?"

"Are you just going the stand at the other end and get cold watching me shower or are you going to come over here?"

"I don't like you at the moment."

"You love me."

"But I don't like you."

"Yes you do."

"Shut up."

"Don't be so stubborn."

"Says the one who physically hauled me into the shower with him against my will."

"I never said I wasn't stubborn."

"Well… you are."

"Point taken. Now come here," I say as I open my arms. Sarah stands firm with her arms crossed and with an annoyed, but slightly amused look on her face. I sigh and resort to the one thing even _I _know isn't fair. I use my telekinesis to pull her over to me and as soon as my arms are wrapped around her I release the tension.

"I'm pretty sure this is considered rape," Sarah mumbles. I chuckle and kiss the top of her head. "Yep. Now I'm sure it is."

"No," I say. "_This _is rape." I lift her shirt up just a little and stick my pointer finger into her naval, but she squirms away.

"How old is that joke? What are you- two?" Sarah asks. I grin and look down at her.

"I think four is a better guess."

"Ha-ha. That's a good one, John."

"Hey, I thought it was clever!"

"Exactly my point…"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"That I'm crazy, stupid, and obviously under some sort of hypnotizing drug to be completely and utterly in love with you," Sarah says with a genuine smile. I lean my head back and gasp.

"Ahh… so she admits it?" I ask as I level my head again.

"Yeah, yeah. Stop with you sarcasm before I smack you."

"Okay," I say in my regular tone of voice. "I love you too, just so you know."

"Good," Sarah says with a smile. "Help me off with this? I don't think it's doing any good if my shirt just sticks to me." I nod and gently help her peel off her shirt. As soon as I lift it, I suck in a deep breath. There's a long red scratch, no, _slash _cutting down her upper back.

"What happened?" I ask softly as I graze my fingers over it. Her body shivers in response, but Sarah turns and faces me.

"It's not that big of a deal. I was running during the battle and I tripped. I skidded over a piece of stone that had blown out of the building during the first explosion. I'm _fine_," Sarah says as she removes my hand from behind her. I quirk my mouth to the side about to say something, but she gets up on her tip toes and plants a kiss on my lips. "Nope. You're not allowed to speak anymore."

I grin and say, 'Well, if I can't talk…" Sarah rolls her eyes with a grin and wraps her arms around my neck.

"Oh shut up and kiss me already."

* * *

><p>The next day we parted our separate ways agreeing to meet one month later back at the same hotel in Germany. Marina and Kellan decided to go travel over Europe, particularly Spain and Ireland, while Six, Sam, Sarah, and I planned to return to Paradise. Of course Six had to make Sam and I invisible again, but it wasn't too much of an issue. When we got to Sarah's house, as soon as her dad opened the door, he screamed at me, threatened to call the police, <em>said<em> he was going to call the police, and then threatened to shoot me. Her mom of course ushered her and Sam into the house, but stopped when she saw the phone floating away from her husband.

At first, as you can imagine, they were a little freaked out that we were aliens. It's not that easy discovering that your daughter has been off fighting aliens and has been in love with one for a while, but after hours of explanations and showing them that we truly are aliens, they calmed down- a little. However, they did agree to let the three of us sleep in their house. Of course, I had to sleep in the living room which was the farthest room away from Sarah's because what parents wanted their eighteen year old daughter sleeping with an alien teenager? However, I'm quite good at being quiet and they both fall asleep. _Fast_.

"John, they're going to kill us!" Sarah hisses at me. I chuckle and kiss her temple softly as I wrap my arms around her a little tighter. She snuggles her way backwards into the front of my body and I close my eyes.

"I'll be gone by the morning," I yawn.

"Mmm… alright. Night. Love you," Sarah mumbles.

"Love you too."

In the morning, I woke up with Sarah still in my arms and to the sound of loud footsteps coming up the stairs. I quickly got myself out of her bed and into the bathroom in the nick of time as Mr. Hart barged in demanding to know where I was.

"Dad? What are you doing?" Sarah mumbles from her sheets. Before he can answer, I flush the toilet and open the door. I act surprised to see Mr. Hart and cock my head to one side.

"Why are you up here?" he demands.

"Oh, I'm sorry, sir. I didn't know if anyone else was up and I didn't want to wake them by using the downstairs bathroom so I came up here. Sorry, sir," I say. His face softens and he nods.

"Uh, that's alright. Breakfast will be ready in a half an hour," he says before closing the door and walking down stairs. I wait until I can no longer hear his footsteps to start laughing my ass off.

"John that wasn't funny!" Sarah yells at me through a giggle and throws a pillow at me. I block it and run over to her leaping onto the bed.

"Morning," I say as I kiss her sweetly.

"Yeah, _morning_," Sarah says sarcastically and gets up to go wash her face. "Go see if Sam and Six are up. They'll want to eat. I'll be a while so it's either waiting here, getting them, or going to talk to my dad." I groan and walk down stairs leaving her to get ready. Honestly, I don't see what she needs to do. It's _breakfast_. I'll never understand women for as long as I live.

I walk down stairs with a yawn and make my way down the hallway where the guest room is. I softly knock and the door and wait for a response, but I get none. I quietly crack open the door and see Six curled up in Sam's arms. I grin at my two friends and knock loudly on the back of the door. Six groans and Sam makes no effort to even move even though I'm sure he heard me.

"What do you want, John?" Six croaks. "It's like… eleven in the morning. Go away."

"Sorry, but Mr. Hart wanted me to tell you that breakfast will be ready in thirty minutes," I say. Six grunts and Sam mumbles something illogical at me. I grin and shut the door softly knowing that they won't be up for a while. Well, at least until Sam realizes that he's hungry.

I walk down the hallway about to make my way up to Sarah's room, but I stop in midstride to direct myself towards the kitchen. Sarah's mom is cooking a big pan of eggs, a plate of bacon, toast, and even has a few smoothies out.

"Good morning, Mrs. Hart. Would you like any help?" I ask politely. She grins and nods allowing me to step into the kitchen. Mrs. Hart always liked me before the whole terrorist-then-alien fiasco so it was a lot easier for her to cope with the fact Sarah and I are in a relationship then Mr. Hart.

"Yes, thank you, John. My husband left for work a few minutes ago so I'm stuck in here by myself," she says as she blows a strand of hair out of her face. I smile and begin filling the blender with the ingredients spread out on the counter. We work in silence for a few moments before I finally get the courage to talk to her about what's _really _on my mind.

"Uh, Mrs. Hart? Can I- can I talk to you about something important?" I ask with a gulp. I turn to face her and try to hide a smile. The way she cocks her head a little with the same exact expression I see on Sarah's face all the time makes me realize how alike they are.

"Of course. Let me just put some paper towels over these so they don't get cold…"

She leads me to the family room where I sit on the couch, my hands sweating and my breathing quicker, as she sits across from me.

"Let me guess… this has to do with you and Sarah? And you're talking to me because my husband would probably shoot you?" she asks with a grin identical to her daughter's. I let out a nervous laugh and nod. "Well, then I'm all ears."

"I love her. I have for a very long time. I know she loves me too because we can hear each other's thoughts. Back on my home planet, Lorien, when two people fell in love with each other they would be able to communicate via brain waves. And on Lorien, when people fall in love, they fall in love with that one person for life. Sam and Six are in love as well as our friends Kellan and Marina and well… I want to spend the rest of my life with her."

Mrs. Hart doesn't look upset or shocked or even angry, but simply looks at me calmly. Sarah's definitely her mother's daughter because when they hear news like this, they don't freak out or run away from the problem. Mrs. Hart clasps her hands together and nods.

"So you want to marry my daughter?" she asks me. I nod and give her a feeble smile.

"I know that she just turned eighteen and you probably think that it's crazy and stupid and won't work out and I doubt you want an alien son-in-law and-" I start rambling, but she cuts me off.

"John, when she came home she was a wreck about you. She actually… Sarah told me about you guys. I know she'd never make up things about aliens and lie about it to me. Though I was still skeptical, I never told my husband because he was so upset with her leaving. I was too, but I know my daughter. I know when she's lying and I can most certainly tell when she's in love. _Real _love. Not that Mark James bullshit. Honestly, I can't think of anyone better than you as a son-in-law. As crazy as it seems… you have my full support." She produces a small smile, a genuine one, but also filled with a little sadness, and I smile bigger than I ever imagined possible.

"Really? Thank you so much, Mrs. Hart. This means the world to me. I would never have even considered marrying her unless I had both of your support, but thank you so much," I say as I give her a hug. She hugs me tightly, just like a mother should, but pulls back and wipes a tear from her cheek. As I'm about to object, she lets out a small laugh.

"Oh, hush. It's a good kind of tear. Now, let me soften up Mr. Hart and I'll tell you when the time is right, okay?" I nod with the same grin plastered on my face as we embrace again. "Alright, now let's finish making breakfast."

* * *

><p>A week passes by and the four of us are about ready to kill ourselves being cooped up in Hart residence. Of course, I'm the only one in <em>real <em>danger from Mr. Hart. Two days I finally told him after Sarah's parents and I sat down and spoke about it. At first, he was completely against it. I expected that, but his wife has got to be an angel. She stood by me fully and in the end, Mr. Hart reluctantly approved. He's been sending me death glares ever since saying "if you screw up, I will hunt you down and kill you myself".

Anyhow, after Sam faking sick and Six not wanting to leave him, I decided that tonight would be the night. Sam and Six were elated when I told them what I was going to do and decided to play along. I told Sarah that we were going to get out of Paradise for the night and go somewhere for dinner. After being put into a white collared shirt, black dress jacket, black dress pants, and black dress shoes of Sarah's older brother, I wait downstairs for Sarah. Her mom descends first and rolls her eyes at me.

"I swear… that girl is more stubborn than my husband. It took me ten minutes to convince her to put a dress on. Good luck, honey," Mrs. Hart whispers as she gives me a hug. I smile and turn my gaze to the top of the stairs where I lose my breath.

Standing at the top of the stairs is the most beautiful woman I've ever laid eyes on. Sarah's hair is shimmering in the light and curled in large swirls the frame her heart shaped face beautifully. She simply has on a light coat of blush and her lips are a rosy pink. A very light sparkling eye shadow covers her eye lids and black mascara makes her lashes pop out. She's wearing a silver pair of hoop earrings and a thin silver necklace with my own pendant on it. She's wearing a sleek, curve hugging, one shoulder, black dress complete with black heels that have thin straps in a criss-cross pattern covering her feet. She descends the stairs with a blush and a smile on her face. When she reaches me, I have no words to say.

"Hi," Sarah says gently.

"Hi," I return in amazement. "You look… _so _beautiful. You know, I don't know if I can take you out now. Someone might steal you away from me."

"Oh, no. You are taking me to dinner since my mom got me into this dress. I _despise _dresses," Sarah mutters and stares daggers at her mother who winks in response. I grin and kiss her cheek not wanting to mess any of her lipstick up.

"Shall we?" I ask and take her hand. She nods and we say goodbye to Mrs. Hart as we walk out the door. I open the car door for her, trying to be a gentleman, and then get in the driver's seat.

"You look really handsome, John," Sarah says with a smile playing on her lips. I grin and shrug.

"Yeah, well, I look like _nothing _compared to you. You look truly spectacular." Sarah blushes and I pull out of the driveway.

The whole way there Sarah bugs me about where we're going, but each time she asks I only turn up the music and laugh at her reaction. When we reach the restaurant, Sarah and I walk from the parking lot across the street hand-in-hand. I open the large glass door with a golden handle for her and take a deep breath behind her. When we get inside, Sarah's mouth drops open.

The room is dimly lit by the glass sculpted lamps above and a small band is playing in the corner. There are small tables scattered around the large room down the three steps on the red carpet leading towards the dining area. I walk up to the waiter standing by the stairs to check us in and grab Sarah's arm to lead her down the steps so she doesn't stand there in shock all night. He leads us to a small table in a quiet corner of the restaurant and pours us two glasses of water. He then introduces himself as Matthew before handing us menus and giving us time to decide.

"So what's with all of this?" Sarah asks me. I reach across the table and hold her hand in mine.

"This is me taking the girl I love out to dinner. Everything is finally over so I thought that we should have a real date," I explain. Except, no one proposes on a first date. Sarah smiles and glances at her menu to decide what she wants. We order appetizers and talk about our plans over the next couple of weeks since we have to leave at the end of the month to go back to Germany. After we eat our appetizers and order dinner Sarah becomes oddly quiet.

"Hey, are you okay?" I ask gently. Sarah nods and smiles to herself.

"Sorry, I was just thinking. What do you think it'll be like if Sam and Six get married? I honestly can't see Sam proposing in front of Six," Sarah says with a giggle. I grin and we both start laughing as the image of Sam down on one knee crosses our minds. We continue to talk about our future as well as Sam and Six's throughout the whole meal. Finally, after the check is paid, I smile and take her hand.

We walk to the car and before Sarah gets into the car, I bombard her with a kiss and lift her off her feet. She smiles into my lips and holds my face in her hands.

"I've been waiting for that all night," Sarah says with a wink.

"Sorry, but I didn't want to mess up your makeup."

"I'd rather look my makeup bag exploded on me and kiss you then look perfect and not kiss you," Sarah teases as she gets into the car. I smile and get into the driver's seat. I start to head in the direction of Paradise on the interstate, but take an early exit. Sarah turns to me about to speak, but I raise my pointer finger.

"Patience, young grasshopper." Sarah snorts and shakes her head at me.

"You're a freak." I grin and continue driving. Through a series of main roads to feeder roads and finally pulling onto a dirt path, I make my way to our final destination. We drive through a forest, but finally come out and see the full moon out in the sky lit up by the millions of stars twinkling up above. I pull the car off onto the grass and watch Sarah's expression as she looks at the great blue lake in front of us reflecting the moon's light up above. She turns to me with a smile creeping on to her face.

"I swear John, if you brought me here to go swimming, I might have to kill you," Sarah says. I grin and simply starts undoing my shoe laces and pulling off my socks before rolling up the bottoms of my pants. I pull off my jacket and get out of the car while Sarah undoes her heels. I walk around the car and open the door for her before taking her hand in mine and walking towards the sand on the edge of the water.

As soon as the sand hits our toes, I take an unnoticeable breath and turn towards Sarah. Her gaze is fixed on the moon, but a pull her chin lightly so that she's facing me. I take both of her hands in mine and lean my forehead up against hers.

"If you're planning to kill me and dump my body in this lake in the middle of nowhere, now would be the time," Sarah teases. I smile and kiss her lips softly.

"So, when do you want to get married?" I ask her simply. She quirks her mouth to the left and shrugs.

"I love you so maybe in a year? I don't know. You still need to warm up to my dad, you know," Sarah says with a wink. I smile at her and sigh.

"Well, what if I want to marry you now?" I ask in a pouting tone. Sarah rolls her eyes.

"I am _not _marrying you if you're trying to propose like _that_," Sarah says. Perfect. I take a deep breath and look deeply into her blue eyes and give her a small smile.

"Well, what about like this?" I drop her left hand and slowly descend on to my left knee. Sarah's hand immediately covers her mouth as she gasps, but her other stays perfectly still in mine. I pull out the ring from my pant pocket and hold it up.

"Sarah, you are everything in the world to me. Without you, I have no reason to live. It's not just because I _have _to love you, but it's because you're the only person I want to love. You're the only person I truly need in my life and I want to be lucky enough to spend the rest of my life with you. I promised you before that after everything was over that we'd get married. You know I never break my promises. So, Sarah Hart, will you do me the honor of being my best friend for life? Marry me?" I ask a lot calmer than I expected. I gaze up at her waiting for a reaction for what seems like a lifetime though it only takes her a moment to respond.

Sarah's head nods furiously as she chokes out a yes between her tears. I take her trembling left hand and slip the ring that my mother left for me on to Sarah's ring finger. I rise and slip my arms around her waist pulling her close. I whisper I don't know how many "I love you's" to her and kiss her more times than I can count. We stand there in each other's arms for over five minutes before Sarah finally calms down to where she can speak in full sentences.

"I wanted it to be on a beach, but you don't exactly live on the coast…" I say, but Sarah shakes her head smiling.

"No, it's perfect. God, John, I love you so much. This ring is gorgeous. Oh God, I love you," Sarah says still smiling and choking out laughs from the aftermath of her sobs. I smile and kiss her on the lips. She buries her head in my shoulder and I kiss her head.

"Now you know why your dad has been glaring at me all week. Your mom was fine with it, but your dad was a little harder to convince," I laugh. Sarah laughs along with me followed by an "I bet."

"You're amazing," Sarah murmurs before kissing my jaw up to my mouth. I grin and lean my face close to hers.

"I love you so much."

"I love you too."

"So how was your night?"

"It was the best night of my life, John."

"So I did well then?"

Sarah pulls my shirt along with me towards her and crashes her lips to mine.

"Yeah, you definitely did well."

"So, Mrs. Smith, shall we return home so I can show my new fiancé off?"

"I couldn't think of anything better. I love you, John."

"I love you too. I will forever. And that's a promise."

**AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! STORY OVER! Thank you guys so much! You mean the world to me! Sorry if it was too boring or mushy for you, but I liked it ;) You guys are amazing and I promise that I'll put out new stories! Thank you, thank you, thank you! You guys are the best! The End. -Marisa**


	31. Epilogue

**MWAHAHAHA! I tricked you ;) I bet you guys are **_**sooo **_**upset that I added an epilogue, right? Teehee! BY THE WAY: I'm quite upset with your lack of reviews for the last chapter! Just because you **_**thought **_**I finished it means nothing! Grrr… so still review! Still… thank you guys so much for your reviews and support! I'm very happy to be finishing the story, but sad at the same time. I **_**promise **_**that I will continue to write and put out new stories, but this has been my favorite! I'd like to give a special thanks to joro3 who has been reading and reviewing from pretty early on(: You're the best!**

**WonderMelon: Hehehehe… thanks for reviewing(: Everyone else should be ashamed. They make me sad:( But thanks ;)**

**Yourbestfriend: Thank you(:**

* * *

><p><em>Six Years Later<em>

"Uncle John!" Julie yells. She runs across the grass in front of her parents straight towards me. I smile widely and crouch down ready to swoop her into the air. As soon as I feel her small arms wrap around me, I hoist her up and hold her in my arms.

"Hey kiddo! Aren't you getting big?" I ask and smile at her. She giggles complete with her adorable little smile and I kiss her forehead.

"Where's Aunt Sarah and Brandon?" she asks me. I grin and turn around.

"They're right there! You don't wanna go see them, do you?" I ask.

"Yes! Yes!" she squeals.

"Alright, sweetie," I say and let her go. Julie takes off running towards my beautiful wife and son while Sam and Elizabeth come up behind me.

"Hey, John," Sam says.

"Hi, Sam," I say and pull him into a hug. I pull away and kiss his wife on the cheek before hugging her.

"How are you doing, Elizabeth?" I ask. She smiles and takes Sam's hand.

"Great! How about you?" she asks.

"I'm doing well as usual. Julie's pretty excited today, isn't she?" I ask. Sam chuckles and Elizabeth rolls her eyes.

"She's been crazy all morning! She was _so _stubborn this morning until I told her that we'd be meeting you guys later. I don't understand! We see you almost every day anyhow!" Elizabeth exclaims. Sam and I both exchange looks before busting out laughing. "What?"

"Oh, nothing. She's stubborn though, hmm? I wonder whose side of the family _that _came from," I tease with a wink. Elizabeth rolls her eyes before smacking my arm.

"Oh, shut up."

"Hi, guys!" I hear from behind me as Sarah slinks her arms around my waist.

"Hi, Sarah," Sam greets her.

"Hey, Sarah," Elizabeth says. Sarah releases me and goes to hug them before coming back to me.

"Hey, babe," I say before kissing her gently on the lips.

"Hi," she says with a smile. I grin and wrap my arm around her waist. Things haven't changed for any of us. Besides the fact that Sarah and I got married as well as Sam and Six, I mean, _Elizabeth_, and we both had a kid, we're still as in love as we were six years ago. Of course, we have to watch ourselves around the kids, but we still manage to act like teenagers head-over-heels in love from time to time.

The four of us turn and watch as our two children run around in the grass giggling and playing tag. As soon as we got all were married and celebrated a normal human honeymoon, we moved to Lorien where we found there was one percent more oxygen than on Earth thus making it possible for Sarah and Sam to live here. It took two years to rebuild the houses and buildings, but not long for the planet to re-grow. As soon as we landed, it seemed like the planet awoke from a deep slumber and began to sprout plants. Four years ago, Brandon was born and only two hours later, so was Julie. Sarah and Elizabeth had a special bond when they were pregnant: making Sam and my life a living hell. At least they're friends now though.

"Here come Marina and Kellan," Sarah says. I glance to the side and see both Kellan and Marina walking over hand-in-hand while their daughter, Adelina, goes to play with the other two kids. She's a year younger than my son, but Sarah and I _did _have a longer time to fall in love.

"Hey guys, how's it going?" Kellan asks. His Irish accent is still as strong as the day I met him.

"Great, what about you?" I ask.

"Amazing, actually," Marina says with a smile. She and Kellan exchange smiles as he puts his arm around her. The rest of us look at them confused before Marina speaks. "I'm pregnant!" We all smile and celebrate with hugs and kisses before the kids come running over.

"Mommy?" Brandon asks as he pulls on Sarah's shirt.

"Yes, Brandon?" she responds as she bends down.

"When are we going to the party?" he asks. Sarah smiles and looks at her watch.

"Actually, we should get going. It'll be starting soon," Sarah says. I nod and take her hand as the all nine of us make our way to the beach. As soon as the sand comes into view, we see that almost all of the chairs are filled up. Yes, all of the seven _hundred _chairs. We quickly make our way down to the shore and down the center aisle. I find my way to the front where Crayton and Malcolm are sitting.

"Hi Crayton, Malcolm. Do you guys mind if the kids sit next to you?" I ask. Crayton smiles and shakes his head.

"Of course not!" he says.

"Let me see my granddaughter!" Malcolm says as he reaches his arms out for Julie. She walks over to him and sits on his lap while Brandon and Adelina sit next to him.

"Be good," I say to Brandon who smiles and nods. I smile back and give him a small wave before making my way to the stage with the other five. Ella is already waiting in her seat. I give Sarah a kiss on the cheek as she and the others sit down on the seven chairs in the center of the stage. However, I walk up to the podium and clear my voice hoping to get some silence. It takes a moment, but a hush finally falls upon the audience.

"Hello, and welcome to the sixth anniversary of the Rebirth of Lorien," I say into the microphone. Everyone claps for a few seconds, but I put my hands up requesting silence.

"Although we actually started to rebuild the planet a year later, six years ago on this very day, the leader of the Mogadorians was killed. Now, I know just about all of you have heard the history of what happened, and a lot of you were there experiencing it, nevertheless, it's tradition to recount what happened on that day and the events that took place before that."

"There were nine Loric children, members of the Lorien Garde, sent to Earth after the fateful day the Mogadorians invaded Lorien. Later, of course, we learned about Number Ten, but anyhow, the Garde were sent to Earth to grow and develop their Legacies, special gifts, to help defend Earth. There was a charm placed on them so that they couldn't be killed all at once. The Mogadorians were required to kill them in number order, starting with Number One. Number One, Two, and Three were killed before the members of the Garde met. Five still exist today including four up on this very stage as well as me."

"As soon as I felt Three had been killed, my Cêpan, Brandon as some of you may recall, brought me to Paradise, Ohio where I met the two most important people in my life. One being Sam Goode, a boy whose father had been captured by the Mogadorians. A boy who was part of the team that helped destroy the Mogadorians. A boy who very easily became my best friend and still is to this day. The second person was my beautiful wife, Sarah Hart, now Mrs. Sarah Smith. I was told once that Loriens fall in love with one person for life, and they were right."

"Brandon was eventually captured and murdered by the Mogadorians after they found us. That's when I met Number Six or, Elizabeth Goode, as she goes by now. The four of us ended up in Savannah, Georgia where we met Number Five. From there we traveled to Santa Teresa, Spain where we met Number Seven, Marina Blake. While hiding in a safe house one night, we felt Number Eight die meaning that the Mogadorians knew the charm had been broken. At that point, we knew it was crucial to find Number Nine."

"We found ourselves back in the United States, specifically, San Diego, California. There we found Number Nine, Kellan Blake, being attacked by Mogadorians. This was a hard time and so, Sam and Sarah were brought back to Paradise while the members of the Garde went to Germany. Six years ago we infiltrated the Mogadorian base in the Black Forest of Germany and we discovered that they had been keeping Loriens as captives. At first, it was only five of us against over, now what we estimate to be, five _hundred _Mogadorians. We managed to break open the cells and free the Loric people where they played a major role in helping us win."

"Despite our instructions, Sam and Sarah showed up with even more Loriens from and underground cell. They also showed up with Number Ten, Ella Walker. Now, after we had gotten a plan together, we took down the leader of the Mogadorians, Setrákus Ra. He was twenty feet tall and was the most powerful living thing on the planet. Number Five sacrificed himself that day to make sure that the human race would survive. Thanks to him, they did. Using all of our Legacies, the remaining members of the Garde pinned Setrákus Ra up against a wall and killed him. After that day, we started to rebuild Lorien and the rest is history."

"I would like to tell you how honored I am as well as the other six joining me up on this stage are that we're being given this tribute every year. It means so much to us, so we thank you for that. Thank you so much," I announce. There is a great deal of clapping and yelling as Sarah, Sam, Elizabeth, Marina, Kellan, and Ella rise to their feet and clap along with me and the rest of the crowd.

"Now, if you would please direct your attention to the memorial beside us, we can get this done and party," I say. The crowd laughs, but then every person turns their body towards the fifteen stones next to the stage. There are two rows with nine gravestones in the back and five in the front. The front row has each name of each member of the Garde engraved on the front while the back row holds each Cêpan's name. Each Garde's necklace is placed hanging over their stone while the remake necklaces of each Cêpan hangs on their stone. A large marble block sits on the end with the name of each Lorien who lost their life that day engraved too.

The six of us walk in front of the stones and at the same time, light each small lantern in front of each stone. The crowd cheers and claps when we rise and all of us can't help smiling back.

* * *

><p>"Do you remember the first time we did the memorial service? You were so nervous you kept stuttering," Sarah says with a laugh. I grin and twirl Sarah around. The music is slow, but cheerful and the floor is filled with people dancing. I pull her closer to me and kiss her.<p>

"Do you remember the first time we tried to dance? I had to put you on my feet and dance myself you were so bad. I'm just lucky you didn't fall at our wedding," I tease. Sarah rolls her eyes at me and shakes her head a little.

"I was _not _that bad," she defends herself. I let out a hearty laugh and sway back and forth with her.

"Sarah, you knocked over _two_ vases."

"The second one wasn't my fault!"

"Yeah, the instructor just fell by himself."

"Oh, be quiet," she mutters. I grin and lean my forehead up against hers. She's still the same as the day I first saw her. She hasn't aged at _all_. If anything, she looks even _more _beautiful then when I first laid eyes on her.

"You look beautiful today," I murmur. The small amount of pink that I love fills her cheeks and my mouth immediately turns into an upward crescent.

"You say that every day."

"Only because it's true."

"I think you need a new line."

"Fine. You are the most astonishing and gorgeous being that I've ever laid eyes on. Better?" I ask.

"I could get used to that one." I chuckle and let her lean her chin on my shoulder. I look around and see everyone is smiling, laughing, dancing, or eating. I catch sight of Kellan and Marina sitting down. Kellan is down on one knee and is leaning forward to kiss Marina's stomach. She laughs and pulls his face up to kiss her. I smile and look to my right. I see Sam and Elizabeth with their foreheads pushed together, grinning like fools, and begin kissing. Well, kissing isn't a real way to express it, but you get the picture.

"God, Sam and Elizabeth might as well be sixteen again," I say to Sarah who perks her head up and glances over at them. She laughs and I twirl her around again.

"And to think, we used to be ten times _worse _than them," Sarah says with a wink.

"I'm pretty sure we still could be," I whisper and wink back. She rolls her eyes and kisses my cheek. I slide my hand up to her back and lean down letting her fall backwards before pulling her back up again. The song ends and everyone claps, including Sarah and I. I take that opportunity to go tap Sam's shoulder and say, "The song's over, guys." Both of them blush just like they used to, but kiss again and walk off hand-in-hand.

Sarah starts to walk towards our table, but I jog up behind her and slink my arms through hers around her waist. I feel her jump at first, but then her hand reaches back and twists small curls in my hair. I put my mouth close to her ear and kiss her temple.

"You wanna come take a walk with me?" I ask.

"What about Brandon?" she asks.

"He's spending the night at Ella's house with Adelina and Julie. He's probably asleep by now anyhow."

"Mmm… okay." I take her hand in mine and we walk slowly away from the crowd. We stroll down the luscious green hill in a comfortable silence before we reach the sand. We pull off our sandals before digging out feet in the sand. I look up at our moon and notice that tonight it has waves of orange, yellow, and pink running through it like a sunset. The sky is navy blue and the stars twinkle brightly against the dark background. We walk until I can no longer see the lights from the party behind me. I turn my head and look at my wife who is gazing at the sky. I take that moment to bend down in a swift motion and pick her up bridal style.

"John!" she squeals and lets a laugh escape her mouth. I grin and press my lips to hers wanting to just feel like a teenager again, not a twenty-four year old man with a kid and a wife. Sarah wraps her arms around my neck and seems to get my memo. Then, I start spinning around until we're both laughing and I collapse from dizziness. Sarah lands on top of me and we both lay there, out of breath, laughing like two little kids. I close my eyes and let my head hang in the sand, but I feel a presence over me. I open my eyes with a smile and see Sarah's face right above mine.

"Hi," Sarah says with a certain giddiness to her tone. She pecks me on the lips and grins.

"Hi," I say mimicking her tenor. I grin and turn my head to the side. I wrap my arms around Sarah who's laying on top of me and feel her face on my chest. All I hear are her soft breaths and the sound of the soft ocean waves. It reminds me of when we were in Spain, so naturally, I grin.

"You wanna do something?" I ask her softly. She bites her lip with a smile tugging at her lips and leans her chin on my torso.

"Depends on what it is," she says. I grin mischievously and pull her hair out of her face.

"How about going swimming?" I ask playfully. Sarah rolls her eyes and shakes her head. "Nope, we're doing it. Come on," I say as I sit up. Sarah rolls off of me and lays on her back in the sand not moving.

"Uh uh," Sarah says. I unbutton my shirt, unhook my belt, and pull off my pants before folding everything in a nice pile beside our sandals. I go over to her and lift her out of the sand and begin to walk towards the water.

"John! Stop it!" Sarah yells with laughter. "At least let me take my dress off!" I smile with accomplishment and set her down. She does indeed pull her sundress off, but as soon as our eyes lock, she takes off sprinting down the beach. I grin and take off after her even though it only takes me a mere five seconds to catch her. As soon as my arm wraps around her stomach she erupts with laughter as I pull her into the water.

"I think you tried that on me in Spain and it still didn't work. What makes you think that it wouldn't this time?" I say with a laugh. Sarah laughs and pulls on my arm.

"I don't know! You're _old _now!" Sarah laughs. I grin and throw her over my shoulder.

"That does it!" I yell. Before she can say anything else, I collapse into the waist high water and bring us both under. We both come up laughing and spitting out water. I squat down in the water and pull Sarah up onto my lap. She wraps her arms around my neck and presses her lips to mine. I grin into the kiss and let my hands hold her waist.

"You're a jerk," she mumbles before kissing me again.

"Yeah, yeah. I know. You love me anyhow," I say and kiss her.

"Yeah, right. Just because we're married and have a child does not mean _anything, _John Smith," Sarah teases. I roll my eyes at her and lean my forehead up against hers.

"No, no. You only just promised to love me until the day you die. It's no biggie," I say casually. We both grin and stare at each other just studying each others' faces. No matter how many times I look at Sarah's face, I will _never _get tired of it or get rid of the feeling she gives me. Every time I look at her, it's like seeing her for the first time. "Did you know I love you?"

"You've mentioned it once or twice," Sarah says with a small smile.

"Then, I love you, I love you, I love you," I murmur into her ear. I kiss her cheek and she kisses my lips.

"I love you too. And I will until you don't love me anymore."

"That's not fair. You know I have to love you forever!"

"I know. That's the point."

"Alright, well do you promise?"

"I promise."

_The End_

**THE STORY IS OVER! Ahhhh! I'm happy that it's done, but I'm also really depressed:( WAH. But, don't worry, I'll be writing a new story soon enough! Thank you guys so much for all of the reviews, comments, and everything! You guys are the best(:**

**Thanks!**

**-Marisa**


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